Peter vs Philip
Peter and Philipcompared 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 1988, Peter was ranked #21 and Philip #98 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1992, Peter was ranked #50 and Philip #95 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Peter was ranked #174 and Philip #91 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Peter was ranked #152 and Philip #309 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Peter was ranked #177 and Philip #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Peter was ranked #181 and Philip #619 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Peter was ranked #286 and Philip #461 among boys in England and Wales.
Peter and Philip over time
Peter and Philip appear together in 6 published lists, across 261 years of shared records. Peter held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Philip 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 4 of those lists, Philip 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 1999, Philip moved ahead of Peter in Norway · Boys — #80 and #110 the year before became #126 and #101.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Peter and Philip averaged 49.9 places apart, ending at #21 and #98.
- Longest-running competitions
Peter and Philip were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 36 years, from 1952 to 1988, ending at #21 and #98.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Peter #59 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys70 shared years, 1948–2025
Peter held the stronger position in 43 of those years, Philip in 27.
Highest recorded here: Peter #72 in 1987, Philip #68 in 2013.
The order changed in 1999: Philip moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #80 and #110; by 1999 that had become #126 and #101.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Peter #174, Philip #91.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Peter held the stronger position in 62 of those years, Philip in 0.
Highest recorded here: Peter #13 in 1964, Philip #30 in 1978.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Peter #152, Philip #309.
New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1954–1992
Peter held the stronger position in 38 of those years, Philip in 0.
Highest recorded here: Peter #1 in 1956, Philip #20 in 1963.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Peter #50, Philip #95.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 1952–1988
Peter held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Philip in 0.
Highest recorded here: Peter #1 in 1954, Philip #29 in 1958.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1988: Peter #21, Philip #98.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Peter held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Philip in 0.
Highest recorded here: Peter #59 in 1996, Philip #103 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Peter #286, Philip #461.
Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1997–2022
Peter held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Philip in 0.
Highest recorded here: Peter #22 in 1998, Philip #51 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Peter #177, Philip #311.
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 | Peter | Philip |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Greek/Aramaic, biblical | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈpit.əɹ/ | Not yet recorded |
| 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 #152 (2025) | Norway · Boys #91 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 88/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Peter has a recorded origin (Greek/Aramaic, biblical); Philip does not have one recorded yet.
- Peter and Philip both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for Peter; Philip doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
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
Philip
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #341 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #91 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys