Ian vs Peter
Ian 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.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1989, Ian was ranked #78 and Peter #26 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1985, Ian was ranked #79 and Peter #36 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Ian was ranked #348 and Peter #132 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Ian was ranked #262 and Peter #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Ian was ranked #263 and Peter #174 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ian was ranked #619 and Peter #181 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Ian was ranked #585 and Peter #287 among boys in England and Wales.
Ian 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.
Ian and Peter over time
Ian and Peter appear together in 6 published lists, across 252 years of shared records. Peter held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Ian 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, Ian 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
Ian and Peter changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #262 and #152.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 38 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Ian and Peter averaged 27.1 places apart, ending at #78 and #26.
- Longest-running competitions
Ian and Peter were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #585 and #287.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Ian #138 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys72 shared years, 1947–2025
Ian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 72.
Highest recorded here: Ian #263 in 2025, Peter #72 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ian #263, Peter #174.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Ian held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Peter in 58.
Highest recorded here: Ian #24 in 1990, Peter #13 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ian #262, Peter #152.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys38 shared years, 1952–1989
Ian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 38.
Highest recorded here: Ian #9 in 1954, Peter #1 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1989: Ian #78, Peter #26.
New Zealand · Boys32 shared years, 1954–1985
Ian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 32.
Highest recorded here: Ian #10 in 1955, Peter #1 in 1956.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Ian #79, Peter #36.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Ian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 30.
Highest recorded here: Ian #138 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ian #585, Peter #287.
Northern Ireland · Boys18 shared years, 1997–2023
Ian held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 18.
Highest recorded here: Ian #118 in 1999, Peter #22 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ian #348, Peter #132.
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 Ian
Pairs where Ian shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.
- Ian vs Keith
Ian and Keith changed places 18 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #262 and #577.
Ian · Keith · 59 shared years, 1964–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Ian vs Ciaran
Ian and Ciaran changed places 13 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #262 and #372.
Ian · Ciaran · 61 shared years, 1964–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Ian vs Noel
Ian and Noel changed places 13 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #262 and #402.
Ian · Noel · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
- Ian vs Timothy
Ian and Timothy changed places 13 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #262 and #329.
Ian · Timothy · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · Repeatedly exchanged positions
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 — peaked in the same years.
- Jason vs Aaron
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Jason #1 in 1970, Aaron #8 in 1972.
Jason · Aaron · 39 shared years, 1966–2004 · Peaked in the same years
- Ava vs Abigail
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Ava #1 in 2008, Abigail #36 in 2008.
Ava · Abigail · 44 shared years, 1978–2025 · Peaked in the same years
- Charlotte vs Abigail
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Girls within 2 years — Charlotte #1 in 2012, Abigail #24 in 2010.
Charlotte · Abigail · 24 shared years, 2002–2025 · Peaked in the same years
- Emma vs Abigail
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Girls within 2 years — Emma #1 in 2003, Abigail #29 in 2005.
Emma · Abigail · 28 shared years, 1997–2024 · Peaked in the same years
Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists
Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.
- Thomas vs Edward
Over 70 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Thomas rose about as far as Edward fell — from #44 and #48 in 1952 to #13 and #75 in 2025.
Thomas · Edward · 70 shared years, 1952–2025 · Mirrored each other
- Alexander vs Edward
Over 67 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Alexander rose about as far as Edward fell — from #80 and #48 in 1952 to #22 and #75 in 2025.
Alexander · Edward · 67 shared years, 1952–2025 · Mirrored each other
- Thomas vs Andrew
Over 63 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Thomas rose about as far as Andrew fell — from #44 and #51 in 1952 to #8 and #89 in 2016.
Thomas · Andrew · 63 shared years, 1952–2016 · Mirrored each other
- Andrew vs Alexander
Over 60 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Alexander rose about as far as Andrew fell — from #51 and #80 in 1952 to #89 and #9 in 2016.
Andrew · Alexander · 60 shared years, 1952–2016 · Mirrored each other
Other pairs ranked together in the 1980s
Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1980 and 1989.
- Grace vs Sinead
In 1964 they stood at #118 and #109 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2022 they were #2 and #905.
Grace · Sinead · 58 shared years, 1964–2022 · Started together, ended far apart
- Grace vs Therese
In 1964 they stood at #118 and #127 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 9 places apart; by 2015 they were #8 and #896.
Grace · Therese · 51 shared years, 1964–2015 · Started together, ended far apart
- Sarah vs Lorraine
In 1964 they stood at #46 and #47 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 1 places apart; by 2018 they were #21 and #896.
Sarah · Lorraine · 50 shared years, 1964–2018 · Started together, ended far apart
- Grace vs Pamela
In 1964 they stood at #118 and #116 in Republic of Ireland · Girls, 2 places apart; by 2017 they were #3 and #873.
Grace · Pamela · 46 shared years, 1964–2017 · Started together, ended far apart
Side by side
| Field | Ian | Peter |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | An Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Iain, itself from Latin Iohannes — ultimately from the same Hebrew root as John. | From Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon. |
| Origin | Hebrew, via Scottish Gaelic transmission | Greek/Aramaic, biblical |
| Pronunciation | /ˈiː.ən/ | /ˈpit.əɹ/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand | New South Wales, Australia, England and Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Norway, New Zealand |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #262 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ian is recorded with a Hebrew, via Scottish Gaelic transmission origin, while Peter is recorded with a Greek/Aramaic, biblical origin.
- Ian has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Peter.
- Ian'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
Ian
Popularity journey
First recorded1947
First recorded at #351 among boys in Norway in 1947 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1989
Highest recorded position: #9 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1989).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #585 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