Daniel vs Peter
Daniel 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, Daniel was ranked #4 and Peter #94 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2006, Daniel was ranked #7 and Peter #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Daniel was ranked #13 and Peter #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Daniel was ranked #37 and Peter #164 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Daniel was ranked #52 and Peter #181 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Daniel was ranked #59 and Peter #286 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Daniel was ranked #66 and Peter #174 among boys in Norway.
Daniel and Peter over time
Daniel and Peter appear together in 6 published lists, across 305 years of shared records. Daniel held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Peter in 0.
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 Daniel 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 1974, Daniel moved ahead of Peter in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #14 and #10 the year before became #8 and #12.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 55 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Daniel and Peter averaged 40.2 places apart, ending at #7 and #83.
- Mirrored each other
Over 81 shared years in Norway · Boys, Daniel rose about as far as Peter fell — from #280 and #106 in 1945 to #66 and #174 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Daniel and Peter were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 55 years, from 1952 to 2006, ending at #7 and #83.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Daniel #2 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Daniel held the stronger position in 53 of those years, Peter in 28.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #3 in 1989, Peter #72 in 1987.
The order changed in 1973: Daniel moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #138 and #124; by 1973 that had become #106 and #111.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #66, Peter #174.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Daniel held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Peter in 19.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #3 in 2009, Peter #13 in 1964.
The order changed in 1983: Daniel moved ahead. In 1982 they stood at #26 and #19; by 1983 that had become #16 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Daniel #13, Peter #152.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys55 shared years, 1952–2006
Daniel held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Peter in 22.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 1979, Peter #1 in 1954.
The order changed in 1974: Daniel moved ahead. In 1973 they stood at #14 and #10; by 1974 that had become #8 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2006: Daniel #7, Peter #83.
New Zealand · Boys50 shared years, 1954–2007
Daniel held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Peter in 18.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #1 in 1980, Peter #1 in 1956.
The order changed in 1973: Daniel moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #28 and #16; by 1973 that had become #17 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Daniel #4, Peter #94.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Daniel held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Peter in 0.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Daniel #59, Peter #286.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Daniel held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Peter in 0.
Highest recorded here: Daniel #2 in 2010, Peter #22 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Daniel #37, 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 | Daniel | Peter |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'God is my judge', referencing the biblical prophet Daniel. | 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 | /ˈdænjəl/ | /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, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #13 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Daniel is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Peter is recorded with a Greek/Aramaic, biblical origin.
- Daniel and Peter both have 2 syllables.
- Daniel'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
Daniel
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #280 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–2023
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New Zealand, in 1980 (recorded 1954–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #64 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