Aidan vs Peter
Aidan and Petercompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2006, Aidan was ranked #60 and Peter #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Aidan was ranked #82 and Peter #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2007, Aidan was ranked #97 and Peter #94 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Aidan was ranked #136 and Peter #164 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Aidan was ranked #155 and Peter #181 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Aidan was ranked #255 and Peter #286 among boys in England and Wales.
Aidan and Peter over time
Aidan and Peter appear together in 5 published lists, across 145 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Peter reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Aidan in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2015, Aidan moved ahead of Peter in England and Wales · Boys — #156 and #152 the year before became #138 and #177.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Aidan and Peter changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1993 and 2007, ending at #97 and #94.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Aidan and Peter averaged 32.0 places apart, ending at #255 and #286.
- Longest-running competitions
Aidan and Peter were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #82 and #152.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Aidan #33 in 1965, Peter #13 in 1964.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Aidan held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Peter in 42.
Highest recorded here: Aidan #33 in 1965, Peter #13 in 1964.
The order changed in 2007: Aidan moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #65 and #62; by 2007 that had become #55 and #65.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Aidan #82, Peter #152.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Aidan held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Peter in 5.
Highest recorded here: Aidan #67 in 2002, Peter #59 in 1996.
The order changed in 2015: Aidan moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #156 and #152; by 2015 that had become #138 and #177.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Aidan #255, Peter #286.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Aidan held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Peter in 11.
Highest recorded here: Aidan #43 in 2011, Peter #22 in 1998.
The order changed in 2016: Aidan moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #89 and #87; by 2016 that had become #73 and #108.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Aidan #136, Peter #164.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys14 shared years, 1993–2006
Aidan held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Peter in 9.
Highest recorded here: Aidan #53 in 2002, Peter #38 in 1993.
The order changed in 2002: Aidan moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #79 and #66; by 2002 that had become #53 and #76.
Most recent shared year, 2006: Aidan #60, Peter #83.
New Zealand · Boys12 shared years, 1993–2007
Aidan held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Peter in 6.
Highest recorded here: Aidan #54 in 2001, Peter #39 in 1994.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Aidan #97, Peter #94.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Aidan | Peter |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Greek/Aramaic, biblical |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈpit.əɹ/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #82 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Peter has a recorded origin (Greek/Aramaic, biblical); Aidan does not have one recorded yet.
- Aidan and Peter both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Peter; Aidan doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Aidan
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #37 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #33 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #82 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Peter
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #106 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2006
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–2006).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #174 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys