Namewise

Alan vs Peter

Alan 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 1983, Alan was ranked #100 and Peter #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1988, Alan was ranked #98 and Peter #30 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Alan was ranked #348 and Peter #132 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Alan was ranked #232 and Peter #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Alan was ranked #274 and Peter #174 among boys in Norway.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Alan was ranked #352 and Peter #181 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Alan was ranked #539 and Peter #287 among boys in England and Wales.

Alan and Peter over time

Alan and Peter appear together in 6 published lists, across 257 years of shared records. Peter held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Alan in 1.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Peter reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Alan in 2. 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.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Alan and Peter changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2025, ending at #539 and #287.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 32 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Alan and Peter averaged 54.8 places apart, ending at #100 and #13.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Alan and Peter were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #539 and #287.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Alan #163 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys72 shared years, 1946–2025

    Alan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 72.

    Highest recorded here: Alan #184 in 2015, Peter #72 in 1987.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alan #274, Peter #174.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Alan held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Peter in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Alan #9 in 1975, Peter #13 in 1964.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alan #232, Peter #152.

  • New Zealand · Boys34 shared years, 1954–1988

    Alan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 34.

    Highest recorded here: Alan #15 in 1954, Peter #1 in 1956.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1988: Alan #98, Peter #30.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys32 shared years, 1952–1983

    Alan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 32.

    Highest recorded here: Alan #27 in 1953, Peter #1 in 1954.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1983: Alan #100, Peter #13.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Alan held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Peter in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Alan #163 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alan #539, Peter #287.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2023

    Alan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Alan #107 in 1999, Peter #22 in 1998.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Alan #348, Peter #132.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Alan

Pairs where Alan shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

  • Gregory vs Alan

    Gregory and Alan both fell over the same years in 3 registrars — New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Gregory · Alan · 72 shared years, 1952–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Alan vs Keith

    Alan and Keith both fell over the same years in 3 registrars — New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Alan · Keith · 71 shared years, 1952–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Kevin vs Alan

    Kevin and Alan both fell over the same years in 3 registrars — New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Kevin · Alan · 74 shared years, 1952–2025 · Moved together in several countries

  • Alan vs Noel

    Alan and Noel both fell over the same years in 3 registrars — New South Wales, Australia · Boys; New Zealand · Boys; Republic of Ireland · Boys. Each list is measured against its own starting position; the positions are never combined.

    Alan · Noel · 74 shared years, 1952–2025 · Moved together in several countries

Other comparisons involving Peter

Pairs where Peter shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1980s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1980 and 1989.

The 1980s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Alan, Peter
FieldAlanPeter
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningExact meaning uncertain — possibly Brythonic for 'little rock', or from the tribal name of the Alans, an Iranian people who migrated into Europe in the 4th-5th centuries. Used in Brittany from at least the 6th century, brought to England by Breton settlers after the Norman Conquest.From Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon.
OriginUncertain (Brythonic or Alan-tribal)Greek/Aramaic, biblical
Pronunciation/ˈæl.ən//ˈpit.əɹ/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Alan is recorded with a Uncertain (Brythonic or Alan-tribal) origin, while Peter is recorded with a Greek/Aramaic, biblical origin.
  • Alan and Peter both have 2 syllables.
  • Alan's recorded meaning differs from Peter's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Alan

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #253 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #9 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1975 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #539 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Peter

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–2006

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–2006).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #287 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys