Niall vs Peter
Niall 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Niall was ranked #144 and Peter #164 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Niall was ranked #244 and Peter #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Niall was ranked #246 and Peter #181 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Niall was ranked #613 and Peter #286 among boys in England and Wales.
Niall and Peter over time
Niall and Peter appear together in 3 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. Peter held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Niall in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one 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 1 of those lists, and Niall 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 2024, Niall moved ahead of Peter in Northern Ireland · Boys — #189 and #132 the year before became #144 and #164.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Niall and Peter changed places 13 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #144 and #164.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Niall and Peter averaged 15.8 places apart, ending at #144 and #164.
- Longest-running competitions
Niall and Peter were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #244 and #152.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Niall #106 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Niall held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Peter in 40.
Highest recorded here: Niall #16 in 1991, Peter #13 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Niall #244, Peter #152.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Niall held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 29.
Highest recorded here: Niall #106 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Niall #613, Peter #286.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Niall held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Peter in 14.
Highest recorded here: Niall #26 in 1998, Peter #22 in 1998.
The order changed in 2024: Niall moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #189 and #132; by 2024 that had become #144 and #164.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Niall #144, 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 | Niall | Peter |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | From Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Greek/Aramaic, biblical |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈpit.əɹ/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #244 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 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
- Peter has a recorded origin (Greek/Aramaic, biblical); Niall does not have one recorded yet.
- Niall has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Peter.
- A meaning is recorded for Peter; Niall doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Niall
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #47 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1991 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #244 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