Benjamin vs Peter
Benjamin 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 Zealand · Boys
In 2007, Benjamin was ranked #8 and Peter #94 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2006, Benjamin was ranked #11 and Peter #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #48 and Peter #174 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #61 and Peter #286 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #76 and Peter #164 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #78 and Peter #181 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #83 and Peter #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Benjamin and Peter over time
Benjamin and Peter appear together in 6 published lists, across 255 years of shared records. Benjamin held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Peter in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 5 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 6 of those lists, and Benjamin 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 1976, Benjamin moved ahead of Peter in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #14 and #12 the year before became #7 and #13.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Benjamin and Peter changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #83 and #152.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 40 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Benjamin and Peter averaged 31.4 places apart, ending at #11 and #83.
- Longest-running competitions
Benjamin and Peter were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 40 years, from 1965 to 2006, ending at #11 and #83.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Peter in 42.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #50 in 2020, Peter #13 in 1964.
The order changed in 2010: Benjamin moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #68 and #67; by 2010 that had become #65 and #84.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #83, Peter #152.
Norway · Boys61 shared years, 1950–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Peter in 24.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #13 in 2016, Peter #72 in 1987.
The order changed in 1990: Benjamin moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #94 and #79; by 1990 that had become #73 and #95.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #48, Peter #174.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys40 shared years, 1965–2006
Benjamin held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Peter in 9.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #5 in 1977, Peter #3 in 1965.
The order changed in 1976: Benjamin moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #14 and #12; by 1976 that had become #7 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2006: Benjamin #11, Peter #83.
New Zealand · Boys35 shared years, 1970–2007
Benjamin held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Peter in 7.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #3 in 2003, Peter #12 in 1970.
The order changed in 1977: Benjamin moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #26 and #25; by 1977 that had become #22 and #26.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Benjamin #8, Peter #94.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Benjamin held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Peter in 0.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #6 in 2002, Peter #59 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #61, Peter #286.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Benjamin held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Peter in 5.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #22 in 2002, Peter #22 in 1998.
The order changed in 2002: Benjamin moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #46 and #37; by 2002 that had become #22 and #25.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #76, 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.
Side by side
| Field | Benjamin | Peter |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'son of the right hand', with the underlying literal sense being 'son of the south' (since 'right' indicated the southerly direction in the biblical east-facing orientation convention). | From Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Greek/Aramaic, biblical |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛndʒəmɪn/ | /ˈpit.əɹ/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #46 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Benjamin is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Peter is recorded with a Greek/Aramaic, biblical origin.
- Benjamin has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Peter.
- Benjamin'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
Benjamin
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #345 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1970–2023
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 2003 (recorded 1970–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #46 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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