Namewise

Edward vs Peter

Edward 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.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Edward was ranked #31 and Peter #286 among boys in England and Wales.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2004, Edward was ranked #77 and Peter #69 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1998, Edward was ranked #99 and Peter #85 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Edward was ranked #125 and Peter #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Edward was ranked #177 and Peter #164 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Edward was ranked #189 and Peter #174 among boys in Norway.

  • Scotland · Boys

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

Edward and Peter over time

Edward and Peter appear together in 6 published lists, across 288 years of shared records. Peter held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Edward in 1.

The order between them changed and held in one 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 3 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 2025, Edward moved ahead of Peter in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #144 and #132 the year before became #125 and #152.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Edward and Peter changed places 6 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #177 and #164.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 52 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Edward and Peter averaged 56.9 places apart, ending at #77 and #69.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Edward and Peter were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 52 years, from 1952 to 2004, ending at #77 and #69.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Edward #48 in 1952, Peter #1 in 1954.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys73 shared years, 19502025

    Edward held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 73.

    Highest recorded here: Edward #168 in 2012, Peter #72 in 1987.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Edward #189, Peter #174.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 19642025

    Edward held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Peter in 56.

    Highest recorded here: Edward #17 in 1965, Peter #13 in 1964.

    The order changed in 2025: Edward moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #144 and #132; by 2025 that had become #125 and #152.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Edward #125, Peter #152.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys52 shared years, 19522004

    Edward held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 52.

    Highest recorded here: Edward #48 in 1952, Peter #1 in 1954.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2004: Edward #77, Peter #69.

  • New Zealand · Boys44 shared years, 19541998

    Edward held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 44.

    Highest recorded here: Edward #51 in 1955, Peter #1 in 1956.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1998: Edward #99, Peter #85.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Edward held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Peter in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Edward #23 in 2016, Peter #59 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Edward #31, Peter #286.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 19972024

    Edward held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Peter in 24.

    Highest recorded here: Edward #104 in 1997, Peter #22 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Edward #177, 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

Side-by-side comparison of Edward, Peter
FieldEdwardPeter
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon.
OriginNot yet recordedGreek/Aramaic, biblical
Pronunciation/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 observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #75 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Peter has a recorded origin (Greek/Aramaic, biblical); Edward does not have one recorded yet.
  • Edward and Peter both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Peter; Edward doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.

How each name got here

Edward

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1950

    First recorded at #324 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1965 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #75 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · 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 #174 among boys in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway · Boys