Namewise

Gavin vs Peter

Gavin 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1988, Gavin was ranked #92 and Peter #21 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1980, Gavin was ranked #100 and Peter #31 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2020, Gavin was ranked #270 and Peter #139 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Gavin was ranked #348 and Peter #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Gavin was ranked #898 and Peter #286 among boys in England and Wales.

Gavin and Peter over time

Gavin and Peter appear together in 5 published lists, across 164 years of shared records. Peter held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Gavin in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Peter reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Gavin 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

    Gavin and Peter changed places 6 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #348 and #152.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 27 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Gavin and Peter averaged 55.0 places apart, ending at #92 and #21.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Gavin and Peter were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #348 and #152.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Gavin #185 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 19642025

    Gavin held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Peter in 58.

    Highest recorded here: Gavin #32 in 1994, Peter #13 in 1964.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Gavin #348, Peter #152.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

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

    Highest recorded here: Gavin #185 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Gavin #898, Peter #286.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys27 shared years, 19621988

    Gavin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Gavin #40 in 1973, Peter #2 in 1962.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1988: Gavin #92, Peter #21.

  • New Zealand · Boys27 shared years, 19541980

    Gavin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Gavin #43 in 1972, Peter #1 in 1956.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1980: Gavin #100, Peter #31.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 19972020

    Gavin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 19.

    Highest recorded here: Gavin #66 in 1997, Peter #22 in 1998.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2020: Gavin #270, Peter #139.

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 Gavin, Peter
FieldGavinPeter
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
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈpit.əɹ/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #348 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Peter has a recorded origin (Greek/Aramaic, biblical); Gavin does not have one recorded yet.
  • Gavin and Peter both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Peter; Gavin doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Gavin

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1954

    First recorded at #70 among boys in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1964–2025

    Highest recorded position: #32 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1994 (recorded 1964–2025).

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · 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