Why did Jesus give Simon the name Cephas or Peter?

Jesus gave Simon the name Cephas (from the Aramaic Kepa, meaning "Rock")—which is translated as Peter from the Greek Petros—to signify his role as the foundation upon which the church would be built.12

This naming occurred in the context of Peter’s confession of faith, in which he identified Jesus as the "Messiah" or the "Son of the living God". According to the Gospel According to Matthew, Jesus responded to this declaration by bestowing the title upon him and stating that upon this rock, he would build his community of the faithful. While the exact timing of when this name was granted is debated among scholars—with some accounts suggesting it happened at their first meeting and others placing it during his ministry—the consensus is that the title refers directly to the person of Peter himself.23