Peter vs Sean
Peter and Seancompared 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, Peter was ranked #164 and Sean #48 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2006, Peter was ranked #83 and Sean #71 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2007, Peter was ranked #94 and Sean #83 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Peter was ranked #152 and Sean #141 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2022, Peter was ranked #148 and Sean #496 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Peter was ranked #181 and Sean #234 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Peter was ranked #286 and Sean #638 among boys in England and Wales.
Peter and Sean over time
Peter and Sean appear together in 6 published lists, across 251 years of shared records. Peter held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Sean in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 4 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 5 of those lists, and Sean 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 2010, Peter moved ahead of Sean in England and Wales · Boys — #133 and #132 the year before became #147 and #151.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Peter and Sean changed places 5 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1963 and 2006, ending at #83 and #71.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 43 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Peter and Sean averaged 28.7 places apart, ending at #83 and #71.
- Longest-running competitions
Peter and Sean were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 43 years, from 1963 to 2006, ending at #83 and #71.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Peter #59 in 1996, Sean #49 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #59 and #49 in England and Wales · Boys, 10 places apart; by 2024 they were #286 and #638.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Peter held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Sean in 41.
Highest recorded here: Peter #13 in 1964, Sean #1 in 1997.
The order changed in 2023: Sean moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #108 and #127; by 2023 that had become #130 and #124.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Peter #152, Sean #141.
Norway · Boys47 shared years, 1965–2022
Peter held the stronger position in 47 of those years, Sean in 0.
Highest recorded here: Peter #72 in 1987, Sean #185 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Peter #148, Sean #496.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys43 shared years, 1963–2006
Peter held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Sean in 4.
Highest recorded here: Peter #2 in 1963, Sean #29 in 1967.
The order changed in 2006: Sean moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #79 and #99; by 2006 that had become #83 and #71.
Most recent shared year, 2006: Peter #83, Sean #71.
New Zealand · Boys42 shared years, 1963–2007
Peter held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Sean in 15.
Highest recorded here: Peter #4 in 1963, Sean #28 in 1995.
The order changed in 1990: Sean moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #36 and #41; by 1990 that had become #40 and #35.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Peter #94, Sean #83.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Peter held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Sean in 14.
Highest recorded here: Peter #59 in 1996, Sean #49 in 1996.
The order changed in 2010: Peter moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #133 and #132; by 2010 that had become #147 and #151.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Peter #286, Sean #638.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Peter held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Sean in 28.
Highest recorded here: Peter #22 in 1998, Sean #13 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Peter #164, Sean #48.
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 | Sean |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon. | The Irish form of John, ultimately carrying the meaning 'Yahweh is gracious' via its Hebrew ancestry. |
| Origin | Greek/Aramaic, biblical | Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John |
| Pronunciation | /ˈpit.əɹ/ | /ʃɔːn/ |
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #141 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Greek/Aramaic, biblical origin, while Sean is recorded with a Irish, Anglicised form of Sean, via Hebrew John origin.
- Peter has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Sean.
- Peter's recorded meaning differs from Sean'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
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
Sean
Popularity journey
First recorded1963
First recorded at #82 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1963 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #141 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys