Namewise

Elias vs Peter

Elias 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.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Elias was ranked #4 and Peter #174 among boys in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Elias was ranked #79 and Peter #286 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Elias was ranked #185 and Peter #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Elias was ranked #187 and Peter #164 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Elias was ranked #199 and Peter #181 among boys in Scotland.

Elias and Peter over time

Elias and Peter appear together in 4 published lists, across 129 years of shared records. Peter held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Elias in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 2 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 4 of those lists, and Elias 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 2016, Elias moved ahead of Peter in England and Wales · Boys — #189 and #177 the year before became #168 and #188.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 66 shared years in Norway · Boys, Elias rose about as far as Peter fell — from #328 and #106 in 1945 to #4 and #174 in 2025.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Elias and Peter were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 66 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #4 and #174.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys66 shared years, 19452025

    Elias held the stronger position in 31 of those years, Peter in 35.

    Highest recorded here: Elias #3 in 2006, Peter #72 in 1987.

    The order changed in 1995: Elias moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #113 and #96; by 1995 that had become #93 and #124.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Elias #4, Peter #174.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Elias held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Peter in 20.

    Highest recorded here: Elias #79 in 2024, Peter #59 in 1996.

    The order changed in 2016: Elias moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #189 and #177; by 2016 that had become #168 and #188.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Elias #79, Peter #286.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 20022025

    Elias held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 21.

    Highest recorded here: Elias #185 in 2025, Peter #50 in 2002.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Elias #185, Peter #152.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys13 shared years, 20082024

    Elias held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 13.

    Highest recorded here: Elias #187 in 2024, Peter #62 in 2011.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Elias #187, 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 Elias, Peter
FieldEliasPeter
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningA form of Elijah, commonly interpreted as 'my God is Yahweh'.From Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon.
OriginBiblical Hebrew, via GreekGreek/Aramaic, biblical
Pronunciation/ɪˈlaɪəs//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 observationNorway · Boys #4 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Elias is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek origin, while Peter is recorded with a Greek/Aramaic, biblical origin.
  • Elias and Peter both have 2 syllables.
  • Elias'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

Elias

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #328 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 recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Norway, in 2006 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #35 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