Namewise

Nils vs Peter

Nils 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.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 1992, Nils was ranked #337 and Peter #33 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Nils was ranked #61 and Peter #174 among boys in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Nils was ranked #4275 and Peter #287 among boys in England and Wales.

Nils and Peter over time

Nils and Peter appear together in 2 published lists, across 106 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.

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.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025

    Nils held the stronger position in 63 of those years, Peter in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Nils #21 in 1947, Peter #72 in 1987.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Nils #61, Peter #174.

  • England and Wales · Boys25 shared years, 1996–2025

    Nils held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Peter in 25.

    Highest recorded here: Nils #1746 in 2001, Peter #59 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Nils #4275, Peter #287.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Nils

Pairs where Nils shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Peter

Pairs where Peter shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — repeatedly exchanged positions.

All repeatedly exchanged positions→

Other pairs from Norway lists

Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Norway overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Nils, Peter
FieldNilsPeter
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedFrom Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon.
OriginNot yet recordedGreek/Aramaic, biblical
Pronunciation/ˈpit.əɹ/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, IE, NOAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway · Boys #61 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Peter has a recorded origin (Greek/Aramaic, biblical); Nils does not have one recorded yet.
  • Nils has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Peter.
  • A meaning is recorded for Peter; Nils doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NO.

How each name got here

Nils

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #26 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #21 among boys in Norway, in 1947 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #4275 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Peter

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–2006

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–2006).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #287 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys