Peter vs Ross
Peter and Rosscompared 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 1983, Peter was ranked #13 and Ross #86 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1985, Peter was ranked #36 and Ross #96 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Peter was ranked #132 and Ross #395 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Peter was ranked #152 and Ross #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Peter was ranked #181 and Ross #307 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Peter was ranked #286 and Ross #3254 among boys in England and Wales.
Peter and Ross over time
Peter and Ross appear together in 5 published lists, across 175 years of shared records. Peter held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Ross in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Peter reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Ross 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
Peter and Ross changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #152 and #329.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Peter and Ross averaged 57.9 places apart, ending at #13 and #86.
- Longest-running competitions
Peter and Ross were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 30 years, from 1954 to 1985, ending at #36 and #96.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Peter #59 in 1996, Ross #60 in 1997.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #59 and #68 in England and Wales · Boys, 9 places apart; by 2024 they were #286 and #3254.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Peter held the stronger position in 57 of those years, Ross in 4.
Highest recorded here: Peter #13 in 1964, Ross #39 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Peter #152, Ross #329.
New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1954–1985
Peter held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Ross in 0.
Highest recorded here: Peter #1 in 1956, Ross #25 in 1957.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Peter #36, Ross #96.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Peter held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Ross in 4.
Highest recorded here: Peter #59 in 1996, Ross #60 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Peter #286, Ross #3254.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys28 shared years, 1952–1983
Peter held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Ross in 0.
Highest recorded here: Peter #1 in 1954, Ross #34 in 1958.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1983: Peter #13, Ross #86.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2023
Peter held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Ross in 1.
Highest recorded here: Peter #22 in 1998, Ross #30 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Peter #132, Ross #395.
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 | Ross |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 1 |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #329 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Peter has a recorded origin (Greek/Aramaic, biblical); Ross does not have one recorded yet.
- Peter has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Ross.
- A meaning is recorded for Peter; Ross doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, 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
Ross
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #36 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1985
Highest recorded position: #25 among boys in New Zealand, in 1957 (recorded 1954–1985).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #329 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys