Peja as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Peja

What is the meaning of the name Peja ?

The baby name Peja is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈpeja/ (PEH-yah).

Peja is in Origin.

Peja is a South Slavic diminutive of Predrag, especially in Serbian, Bosnian, Montenegrin, and Croatian use. In its original orthography it appears as Peđa (Serbian Latin) or Пеђа (Cyrillic), with the ASCII-friendly form Pedja; the spelling Peja is a common international adaptation. The root name Predrag combines the intensifier pre- (“very”) with drag (“dear, beloved”), ultimately from Proto-Slavic *dragъ, giving the sense “very dear” or “most beloved.”

As a familiar form, Peja has circulated since medieval times alongside other native Slavic names, and it enjoyed strong modern visibility across the former Yugoslavia. It is used both as an affectionate nickname and, occasionally, as an independent given name. A prominent bearer is the Serbian basketball star Peja Stojaković (born Predrag). Note: Peja is etymologically distinct from the toponym Peja/Peć in Kosovo and from Pejo, a separate diminutive of Petar.