Espen vs Peter
Espen and Peter compared 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, Espen was ranked #430 and Peter #174 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Espen was ranked #4275 and Peter #287 among boys in England and Wales.
Espen and Peter over time
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Higher on the chart is a stronger position. The scale is logarithmic, so the gap from #1 to #10 is drawn as large as the gap from #100 to #1,000.
Espen and Peter over time
Espen and Peter appear together in 2 published lists, across 98 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Espen and Peter were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #430 and #174.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Espen held the stronger position in 50 of those years, Peter in 31.
Highest recorded here: Espen #8 in 1982, Peter #72 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Espen #430, Peter #174.
England and Wales · Boys17 shared years, 2002–2025
Espen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 17.
Highest recorded here: Espen #2693 in 2018, Peter #97 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Espen #4275, Peter #287.
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.
Where to go next
Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.
Other comparisons involving Espen
Pairs where Espen shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Aksel vs Espen
Aksel and Espen were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #25 and #430.
Aksel · Espen · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Anders vs Espen
Anders and Espen were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #293 and #430.
Anders · Espen · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Andreas vs Espen
Andreas and Espen were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #96 and #430.
Andreas · Espen · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Arne vs Espen
Arne and Espen were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #222 and #430.
Arne · Espen · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
Other comparisons involving Peter
Pairs where Peter shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Peter vs Ross
In 1996 they stood at #59 and #68 in England and Wales · Boys, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #287 and #2014.
Peter · Ross · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Peter vs Stephen
In 1996 they stood at #59 and #60 in England and Wales · Boys, 1 places apart; by 2025 they were #287 and #716.
Peter · Stephen · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Peter vs Frode
In 1945 they stood at #106 and #116 in Norway · Boys, 10 places apart; by 2008 they were #127 and #551.
Peter · Frode · 63 shared years, 1945–2008 · Started together, ended far apart
- Peter vs Sean
In 1996 they stood at #59 and #49 in England and Wales · Boys, 10 places apart; by 2025 they were #287 and #615.
Peter · Sean · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs with the same kind of relationship
Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — longest-running competitions.
- Anders vs Aksel
Anders and Aksel were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #293 and #25.
Anders · Aksel · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Andreas vs Aksel
Andreas and Aksel were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #96 and #25.
Andreas · Aksel · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Arne vs Aksel
Arne and Aksel were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #222 and #25.
Arne · Aksel · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
- Bjørn vs Aksel
Bjørn and Aksel were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #56 and #25.
Bjørn · Aksel · 81 shared years, 1945–2025 · Longest-running competitions
Other pairs from Norway lists
Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.
- Ingrid vs Wenche
In 1945 they stood at #27 and #22 in Norway · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2008 they were #6 and #621.
Ingrid · Wenche · 58 shared years, 1945–2008 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Torill
In 1945 they stood at #38 and #39 in Norway · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2004 they were #10 and #599.
Anna · Torill · 55 shared years, 1945–2004 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ingrid vs Vigdis
In 1945 they stood at #27 and #32 in Norway · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2006 they were #6 and #583.
Ingrid · Vigdis · 52 shared years, 1945–2006 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Vigdis
In 1945 they stood at #38 and #32 in Norway · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2006 they were #10 and #583.
Anna · Vigdis · 52 shared years, 1945–2006 · Started together, ended far apart
Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s
Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.
- Grace vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #41 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2025 they were #27 and #4867.
Grace · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Ella vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #56 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 6 places apart; by 2025 they were #46 and #4867.
Ella · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Jasmine vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #55 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 5 places apart; by 2025 they were #102 and #4867.
Jasmine · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
- Anna vs Gemma
In 1996 they stood at #47 and #50 in England and Wales · Girls, 3 places apart; by 2025 they were #142 and #4867.
Anna · Gemma · 30 shared years, 1996–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Espen | 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 | England and Wales, Norway | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #430 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Peter has a recorded origin (Greek/Aramaic, biblical); Espen does not have one recorded yet.
- Espen and Peter both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Peter; Espen doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, NO.
How each name got here
Espen
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #315 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in Norway, in 1982 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #4275 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · 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 #287 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys