Jack vs Peter
Jack 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 2006, Jack was ranked #1 and Peter #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2007, Jack was ranked #1 and Peter #94 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jack was ranked #2 and Peter #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #4 and Peter #164 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #7 and Peter #181 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jack was ranked #22 and Peter #286 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Jack was ranked #432 and Peter #174 among boys in Norway.
Jack and Peter over time
Jack and Peter appear together in 6 published lists, across 226 years of shared records. Jack held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Peter in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 3 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, Jack 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 1991, Jack moved ahead of Peter in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #33 and #28 the year before became #26 and #29.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Jack and Peter averaged 46.1 places apart, ending at #1 and #83.
- Longest-running competitions
Jack and Peter were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 78 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #432 and #174.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Jack #1 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys78 shared years, 1945–2025
Jack held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 78.
Highest recorded here: Jack #151 in 1956, Peter #72 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #432, Peter #174.
Republic of Ireland · Boys53 shared years, 1970–2025
Jack held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Peter in 20.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2000, Peter #17 in 1979.
The order changed in 1993: Jack moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #50 and #33; by 1993 that had become #32 and #38.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jack #2, Peter #152.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jack held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Peter in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #22, Peter #286.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Jack held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Peter in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2001, Peter #22 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jack #4, Peter #164.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys21 shared years, 1986–2006
Jack held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Peter in 5.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2003, Peter #19 in 1986.
The order changed in 1991: Jack moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #33 and #28; by 1991 that had become #26 and #29.
Most recent shared year, 2006: Jack #1, Peter #83.
New Zealand · Boys17 shared years, 1988–2007
Jack held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Peter in 4.
Highest recorded here: Jack #1 in 2007, Peter #30 in 1988.
The order changed in 1992: Jack moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #69 and #41; by 1992 that had become #46 and #50.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Jack #1, Peter #94.
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 | Jack | Peter |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | God is gracious (via John), though now used as an independent name. | From Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon. |
| Origin | English, historically a diminutive of John | Greek/Aramaic, biblical |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒæk/ | /ˈpit.əɹ/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Jankin | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #2 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Jack is recorded with a English, historically a diminutive of John origin, while Peter is recorded with a Greek/Aramaic, biblical origin.
- Jack has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Peter.
- Jack'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.
- The available evidence gives Jack a "high" Data Confidence level and Peter a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Jack
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #171 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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