Jacob vs Peter
Jacob 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 Zealand · Boys
In 2007, Jacob was ranked #11 and Peter #94 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Jacob was ranked #13 and Peter #164 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2006, Jacob was ranked #19 and Peter #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jacob was ranked #27 and Peter #181 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jacob was ranked #30 and Peter #286 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Jacob was ranked #59 and Peter #174 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jacob was ranked #62 and Peter #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Jacob and Peter over time
Jacob and Peter appear together in 6 published lists, across 227 years of shared records. Jacob held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Peter in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 5 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 6 of those lists, and Jacob in none. 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, Jacob moved ahead of Peter in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #31 and #28 the year before became #23 and #29.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Jacob and Peter averaged 37.6 places apart, ending at #19 and #83.
- Mirrored each other
Over 79 shared years in Norway · Boys, Jacob rose about as far as Peter fell — from #273 and #106 in 1945 to #59 and #174 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Jacob and Peter were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 79 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #59 and #174.
List by list
Norway · Boys79 shared years, 1945–2025
Jacob held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Peter in 52.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #34 in 2017, Peter #72 in 1987.
The order changed in 1999: Jacob moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #91 and #80; by 1999 that had become #100 and #126.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #59, Peter #174.
Republic of Ireland · Boys40 shared years, 1980–2025
Jacob held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Peter in 24.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #37 in 2016, Peter #17 in 1980.
The order changed in 2010: Jacob moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #111 and #67; by 2010 that had become #75 and #84.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #62, Peter #152.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jacob held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Peter in 0.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #4 in 2013, Peter #59 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jacob #30, Peter #286.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Jacob held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Peter in 10.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #5 in 2017, Peter #22 in 1998.
The order changed in 2007: Jacob moved ahead. In 2006 they stood at #61 and #44; by 2007 that had become #64 and #69.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jacob #13, Peter #164.
New Zealand · Boys26 shared years, 1977–2007
Jacob held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Peter in 10.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #6 in 2003, Peter #20 in 1981.
The order changed in 1989: Jacob moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #43 and #30; by 1989 that had become #32 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Jacob #11, Peter #94.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys25 shared years, 1982–2006
Jacob held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Peter in 9.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #10 in 1999, Peter #13 in 1982.
The order changed in 1991: Jacob moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #31 and #28; by 1991 that had become #23 and #29.
Most recent shared year, 2006: Jacob #19, Peter #83.
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 | Jacob | Peter |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'holder of the heel' or 'supplanter', referencing the biblical account of Jacob being born grasping his twin brother Esau's heel. A less common alternate theory holds it may derive from a longer form meaning roughly 'may God protect'. | From Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin | Greek/Aramaic, biblical |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒeɪkəb/ | /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, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #42 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Jacob is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin origin, while Peter is recorded with a Greek/Aramaic, biblical origin.
- Jacob and Peter both have 2 syllables.
- Jacob'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
Jacob
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #273 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: #4 among boys in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #42 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