# For Pete's Sake

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-petes-sake/77219>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 20, 2001, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-petes-sake/77219 "2001-08-20T19:58:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![scott\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@scott\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_man)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-petes-sake/77219/1 "2001-08-20T19:58:12Z")

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Does anyone know the origination of the phrase “For Pete’s Sake?” Who was Pete?

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**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-petes-sake/77219/2 "2001-08-20T20:03:28Z")

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I think it may be a slang offshoot of the expression “for pity’s sake.”

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-petes-sake/77219/3 "2001-08-20T20:03:58Z")

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St. Peter, head of the Apostles and Gatekeeper of Heaven. As a heavenly VIP, his name is often substituted for “God” in expressions.

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**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-petes-sake/77219/4 "2001-08-20T21:12:47Z")

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I can only add that the expression originated in the US sometime in the 1920’s.

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**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2001, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/for-petes-sake/77219/5 "2001-08-20T21:28:35Z")

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It’s a less blasphemous version of “for God’s sake,” with “Pete” substituting for God. Most probably, “Pete” is Saint Peter.

[Who is Pete and why are we doing everything for his sake?](http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ask-The-Rick/message/7)