Namewise

Peter vs Stephen

Peter and Stephencompared 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 1997, Peter was ranked #53 and Stephen #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1997, Peter was ranked #69 and Stephen #95 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2001, Peter was ranked #114 and Stephen #522 among boys in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Peter was ranked #152 and Stephen #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Peter was ranked #164 and Stephen #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Peter was ranked #181 and Stephen #535 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Peter was ranked #287 and Stephen #716 among boys in England and Wales.

Peter and Stephen over time

Peter and Stephen appear together in 6 published lists, across 260 years of shared records. Peter held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Stephen in 1.

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 3 of those lists, Stephen 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 took the other's place near the top

    In Northern Ireland · Boys, Peter moved into the top 50 at #44 in 2006 as Stephen fell out of it to #81, having been #42 the year before.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2006, Peter moved ahead of Stephen in Northern Ireland · Boys — #56 and #42 the year before became #44 and #81.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Peter and Stephen changed places 8 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1997, ending at #69 and #95.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Peter and Stephen averaged 12.1 places apart, ending at #53 and #100.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Peter and Stephen were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #287 and #716.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Peter #59 in 1996, Stephen #60 in 1996.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #59 and #60 in England and Wales · Boys, 1 places apart; by 2025 they were #287 and #716.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Peter held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Stephen in 41.

    Highest recorded here: Peter #13 in 1964, Stephen #4 in 1983.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Peter #152, Stephen #232.

  • Norway · Boys50 shared years, 1946–2001

    Peter held the stronger position in 50 of those years, Stephen in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Peter #72 in 1987, Stephen #210 in 1956.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2001: Peter #114, Stephen #522.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys46 shared years, 1952–1997

    Peter held the stronger position in 46 of those years, Stephen in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Peter #1 in 1954, Stephen #3 in 1955.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Peter #53, Stephen #100.

  • New Zealand · Boys44 shared years, 1954–1997

    Peter held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Stephen in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Peter #1 in 1956, Stephen #5 in 1958.

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

    Most recent shared year, 1997: Peter #69, Stephen #95.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Peter held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Stephen in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Peter #59 in 1996, Stephen #60 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Peter #287, Stephen #716.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Peter held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Stephen in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Peter #22 in 1998, Stephen #21 in 1998.

    The order changed in 2006: Peter moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #56 and #42; by 2006 that had become #44 and #81.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Peter #164, Stephen #305.

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 Peter

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

Other comparisons involving Stephen

Pairs where Stephen 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 — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

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

England and Wales 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 Peter, Stephen
FieldPeterStephen
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningFrom Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon.From Greek Stephanos, meaning 'crown, wreath' — literally 'that which surrounds'. Saint Stephen, a deacon stoned to death in the New Testament, is regarded as the first Christian martyr.
OriginGreek/Aramaic, biblicalGreek
Pronunciation/ˈpit.əɹ//ˈstiː.vən/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedSteven, Stefan, Stephan
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #232 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Peter is recorded with a Greek/Aramaic, biblical origin, while Stephen is recorded with a Greek origin.
  • Peter and Stephen both have 2 syllables.
  • Peter's recorded meaning differs from Stephen's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
  • The available evidence gives Peter a "medium" Data Confidence level and Stephen a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

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

Stephen

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1946

    First recorded at #352 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–1997

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1955 (recorded 1952–1997).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #716 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys