Jason vs Peter
Jason 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 2005, Jason was ranked #91 and Peter #79 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2004, Jason was ranked #85 and Peter #96 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jason was ranked #135 and Peter #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Jason was ranked #305 and Peter #164 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jason was ranked #199 and Peter #181 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jason was ranked #197 and Peter #286 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2024, Jason was ranked #489 and Peter #204 among boys in Norway.
Jason and Peter over time
Jason and Peter appear together in 6 published lists, across 236 years of shared records. Peter held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Jason in 2.
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 3 of those lists, Jason 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 2015, Jason moved ahead of Peter in England and Wales · Boys — #162 and #152 the year before became #163 and #177.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jason and Peter changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #197 and #286.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Jason and Peter averaged 19.3 places apart, ending at #197 and #286.
- Longest-running competitions
Jason and Peter were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 42 years, from 1964 to 2005, ending at #91 and #79.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Jason #69 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1965–2025
Jason held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Peter in 34.
Highest recorded here: Jason #18 in 1974, Peter #13 in 1966.
The order changed in 2025: Jason moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #162 and #132; by 2025 that had become #135 and #152.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jason #135, Peter #152.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys42 shared years, 1964–2005
Jason held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Peter in 17.
Highest recorded here: Jason #1 in 1971, Peter #3 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Jason #91, Peter #79.
New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1966–2004
Jason held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Peter in 6.
Highest recorded here: Jason #1 in 1970, Peter #6 in 1966.
The order changed in 2004: Jason moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #92 and #89; by 2004 that had become #85 and #96.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Jason #85, Peter #96.
Norway · Boys38 shared years, 1969–2024
Jason held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 38.
Highest recorded here: Jason #330 in 1972, Peter #72 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jason #489, Peter #204.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jason held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Peter in 16.
Highest recorded here: Jason #69 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.
The order changed in 2015: Jason moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #162 and #152; by 2015 that had become #163 and #177.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jason #197, Peter #286.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Jason held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 28.
Highest recorded here: Jason #36 in 1998, Peter #22 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jason #305, Peter #164.
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 | Jason | Peter |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Ancient Greek Iason, meaning 'healer'. In Greek mythology, Jason led the Argonauts in the quest for the Golden Fleece; the name also appears in the New Testament as a Hellenized form possibly of a Hebrew name. | From Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon. |
| Origin | Greek | Greek/Aramaic, biblical |
| Pronunciation | /ˈd͡ʒeɪ.sən/ | /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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #135 (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
- Jason is recorded with a Greek origin, while Peter is recorded with a Greek/Aramaic, biblical origin.
- Jason and Peter both have 2 syllables.
- Jason'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
Jason
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2005
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1971 (recorded 1964–2005).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #135 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