Namewise

Anthony vs Peter

Anthony 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, Anthony was ranked #51 and Peter #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2004, Anthony was ranked #79 and Peter #96 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Anthony was ranked #135 and Peter #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Anthony was ranked #152 and Peter #181 among boys in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Anthony was ranked #202 and Peter #164 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Anthony was ranked #451 and Peter #174 among boys in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Anthony was ranked #239 and Peter #287 among boys in England and Wales.

Anthony and Peter over time

Anthony and Peter appear together in 6 published lists, across 290 years of shared records. Peter held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Anthony in 2.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 of the lists they share.

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 2011, Anthony moved ahead of Peter in England and Wales · Boys — #148 and #147 the year before became #153 and #155.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Anthony and Peter changed places 7 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2025, ending at #239 and #287.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Anthony and Peter averaged 24.9 places apart, ending at #239 and #287.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Anthony and Peter were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #239 and #287.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Anthony #65 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys65 shared years, 1946–2025

    Anthony held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 65.

    Highest recorded here: Anthony #298 in 1949, Peter #72 in 1987.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #451, Peter #174.

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

    Anthony held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Peter in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Anthony #12 in 1964, Peter #13 in 1964.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, Peter #152.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys55 shared years, 1952–2006

    Anthony held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Peter in 38.

    Highest recorded here: Anthony #8 in 1968, Peter #1 in 1954.

    The order changed in 1991: Anthony moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #29 and #28; by 1991 that had become #24 and #29.

    Most recent shared year, 2006: Anthony #51, Peter #83.

  • New Zealand · Boys50 shared years, 1954–2004

    Anthony held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Peter in 37.

    Highest recorded here: Anthony #11 in 1959, Peter #1 in 1956.

    The order changed in 1997: Anthony moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #61 and #59; by 1997 that had become #61 and #69.

    Most recent shared year, 2004: Anthony #79, Peter #96.

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

    Anthony held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Peter in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2011: Anthony moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #148 and #147; by 2011 that had become #153 and #155.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #239, Peter #287.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Anthony held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Peter in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Anthony #70 in 1997, Peter #22 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #202, Peter #164.

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 Anthony

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

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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

Other pairs from Republic of Ireland lists

Pairs measured inside Republic of Ireland's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Republic of Ireland overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Anthony, Peter
FieldAnthonyPeter
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningThe English form of the Roman family name Antonius, of unknown Etruscan origin. Later incorrectly associated with Greek 'anthos' ('flower'), which led to the addition of the 'h' to this spelling in the 17th century.From Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon.
OriginEtruscan (unknown origin)Greek/Aramaic, biblical
Pronunciation/ˈæn.θə.ni//ˈpit.əɹ/
Syllables32
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 #135 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Anthony is recorded with a Etruscan (unknown origin) origin, while Peter is recorded with a Greek/Aramaic, biblical origin.
  • Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Peter.
  • Anthony'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

Anthony

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #355 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 recorded1952–2021

    Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1968 (recorded 1952–2021).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #239 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