Gerard vs Peter
Gerard 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 1966, Gerard was ranked #84 and Peter #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1965, Gerard was ranked #96 and Peter #4 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Gerard was ranked #348 and Peter #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Gerard was ranked #305 and Peter #164 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Gerard was ranked #727 and Peter #181 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Gerard was ranked #1675 and Peter #286 among boys in England and Wales.
Gerard and Peter over time
Gerard and Peter appear together in 5 published lists, across 138 years of shared records. Peter held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Gerard in 0.
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.
Peter reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Gerard 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1979, Peter moved ahead of Gerard in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #17 and #19 the year before became #22 and #17.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Gerard and Peter averaged 51.6 places apart, ending at #348 and #152.
- Longest-running competitions
Gerard 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 — Gerard #462 in 1997, Peter #59 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Gerard held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Peter in 48.
Highest recorded here: Gerard #10 in 1964, Peter #13 in 1964.
The order changed in 1979: Peter moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #17 and #19; by 1979 that had become #22 and #17.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Gerard #348, Peter #152.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Gerard held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 29.
Highest recorded here: Gerard #462 in 1997, Peter #59 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gerard #1675, Peter #286.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Gerard held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 28.
Highest recorded here: Gerard #57 in 1997, Peter #22 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gerard #305, Peter #164.
New Zealand · Boys10 shared years, 1954–1965
Gerard held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 10.
Highest recorded here: Gerard #84 in 1956, Peter #1 in 1956.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1965: Gerard #96, Peter #4.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys9 shared years, 1956–1966
Gerard held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 9.
Highest recorded here: Gerard #84 in 1966, Peter #1 in 1956.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1966: Gerard #84, Peter #3.
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 | Gerard | Peter |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Combines Old German 'ger' (spear) with 'hart' (hard, firm, brave) — 'spear-brave'. Borne by saints from Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Italy; brought to Britain by the Normans. | From Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon. |
| Origin | Germanic | Greek/Aramaic, biblical |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒɛɹ.əd/ | /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, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #348 (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
- Gerard is recorded with a Germanic origin, while Peter is recorded with a Greek/Aramaic, biblical origin.
- Gerard and Peter both have 2 syllables.
- Gerard'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, NZ.
How each name got here
Gerard
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #87 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
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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