Brendan vs Peter
Brendan 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 1991, Brendan was ranked #94 and Peter #41 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2004, Brendan was ranked #92 and Peter #69 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Brendan was ranked #402 and Peter #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Brendan was ranked #404 and Peter #164 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Brendan was ranked #619 and Peter #181 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Brendan was ranked #1402 and Peter #286 among boys in England and Wales.
Brendan and Peter over time
Brendan and Peter appear together in 5 published lists, across 185 years of shared records. Peter held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Brendan in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Peter reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Brendan in 1. 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
Brendan and Peter changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1965 and 2004, ending at #92 and #69.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 40 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Brendan and Peter averaged 29.8 places apart, ending at #92 and #69.
- Longest-running competitions
Brendan and Peter were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 40 years, from 1965 to 2004, ending at #92 and #69.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Brendan #157 in 1998, Peter #59 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1964 they stood at #17 and #13 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 4 places apart; by 2025 they were #402 and #152.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Brendan held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Peter in 61.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #16 in 1965, Peter #13 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Brendan #402, Peter #152.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys40 shared years, 1965–2004
Brendan held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Peter in 35.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #25 in 1985, Peter #3 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Brendan #92, Peter #69.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Brendan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 29.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #157 in 1998, Peter #59 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Brendan #1402, Peter #286.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Brendan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 28.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #73 in 1997, Peter #22 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Brendan #404, Peter #164.
New Zealand · Boys26 shared years, 1966–1991
Brendan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 26.
Highest recorded here: Brendan #53 in 1982, Peter #6 in 1966.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1991: Brendan #94, Peter #41.
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 | Brendan | 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 #402 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 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); Brendan does not have one recorded yet.
- Brendan and Peter both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Peter; Brendan 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
Brendan
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #17 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: #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #402 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