Martin vs Peter
Martin 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 1992, Martin was ranked #97 and Peter #37 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1992, Martin was ranked #99 and Peter #50 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Martin was ranked #69 and Peter #174 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Martin was ranked #102 and Peter #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Martin was ranked #216 and Peter #164 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Martin was ranked #352 and Peter #181 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Martin was ranked #346 and Peter #286 among boys in England and Wales.
Martin and Peter over time
Martin and Peter appear together in 6 published lists, across 273 years of shared records. Peter held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Martin in 2.
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, Martin 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
Martin and Peter changed places 4 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #69 and #174.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 41 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Martin and Peter averaged 52.6 places apart, ending at #97 and #37.
- Longest-running competitions
Martin and Peter were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 41 years, from 1952 to 1992, ending at #97 and #37.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Martin #109 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Martin held the stronger position in 77 of those years, Peter in 4.
Highest recorded here: Martin #1 in 1992, Peter #72 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Martin #69, Peter #174.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Martin held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Peter in 21.
Highest recorded here: Martin #9 in 1964, Peter #13 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Martin #102, Peter #152.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys41 shared years, 1952–1992
Martin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 41.
Highest recorded here: Martin #41 in 1967, Peter #1 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Martin #97, Peter #37.
New Zealand · Boys32 shared years, 1954–1992
Martin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 32.
Highest recorded here: Martin #34 in 1963, Peter #1 in 1956.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Martin #99, Peter #50.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Martin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 29.
Highest recorded here: Martin #109 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Martin #346, Peter #286.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Martin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 28.
Highest recorded here: Martin #49 in 1997, Peter #22 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Martin #216, 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 | Martin | Peter |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From the Roman name Martinus, connected to Mars, the Roman god of war. Widely known through Saint Martin of Tours, a 4th-century bishop and patron saint of France. | From Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon. |
| Origin | Latin (Ancient Roman) | Greek/Aramaic, biblical |
| Pronunciation | /ˈmɑɹ.tɪn/ | /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 | Norway · Boys #69 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Martin is recorded with a Latin (Ancient Roman) origin, while Peter is recorded with a Greek/Aramaic, biblical origin.
- Martin and Peter both have 2 syllables.
- Martin'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
Martin
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #83 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 1992 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #69 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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