Kenneth vs Peter
Kenneth 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 1977, Kenneth was ranked #99 and Peter #12 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1981, Kenneth was ranked #88 and Peter #20 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2007, Kenneth was ranked #315 and Peter #69 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Kenneth was ranked #785 and Peter #132 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2021, Kenneth was ranked #475 and Peter #165 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Kenneth was ranked #535 and Peter #181 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Kenneth was ranked #968 and Peter #286 among boys in England and Wales.
Kenneth and Peter over time
Kenneth and Peter appear together in 5 published lists, across 212 years of shared records. Peter held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Kenneth in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Kenneth reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Peter 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
Kenneth and Peter changed places 4 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2021, ending at #475 and #165.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 26 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Kenneth and Peter averaged 48.1 places apart, ending at #99 and #12.
- Longest-running competitions
Kenneth and Peter were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 76 years, from 1945 to 2021, ending at #475 and #165.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Kenneth #345 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys76 shared years, 1945–2021
Kenneth held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Peter in 40.
Highest recorded here: Kenneth #10 in 1979, Peter #72 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Kenneth #475, Peter #165.
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1964–2024
Kenneth held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 60.
Highest recorded here: Kenneth #26 in 1972, Peter #13 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kenneth #785, Peter #132.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Kenneth held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 29.
Highest recorded here: Kenneth #345 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Kenneth #968, Peter #286.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys26 shared years, 1952–1977
Kenneth held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 26.
Highest recorded here: Kenneth #16 in 1952, Peter #1 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1977: Kenneth #99, Peter #12.
New Zealand · Boys21 shared years, 1954–1981
Kenneth held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 21.
Highest recorded here: Kenneth #28 in 1954, Peter #1 in 1956.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1981: Kenneth #88, Peter #20.
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 | Kenneth | Peter |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | An Anglicized form of both Coinneach and Cináed, of Scottish Gaelic origin. Borne by the Scottish king Kenneth mac Alpin, who united the Scots and Picts in the 9th century. | From Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon. |
| Origin | Scottish Gaelic | Greek/Aramaic, biblical |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɛn.əθ/ | /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 | Scotland · Boys #535 (2024) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Kenneth is recorded with a Scottish Gaelic origin, while Peter is recorded with a Greek/Aramaic, biblical origin.
- Kenneth and Peter both have 2 syllables.
- Kenneth'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
Kenneth
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #303 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2021
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in Norway, in 1979 (recorded 1945–2021).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #968 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
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 #174 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys