Peter vs William
Peter and Williamcompared 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.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Peter was ranked #174 and William #3 among boys in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2006, Peter was ranked #83 and William #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2007, Peter was ranked #94 and William #5 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Peter was ranked #286 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Peter was ranked #164 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Peter was ranked #181 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Peter was ranked #152 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Peter and William over time
Peter and William appear together in 6 published lists, across 306 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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 4 of those lists, William 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 1990, William moved ahead of Peter in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #26 and #29 the year before became #28 and #27.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Peter and William changed places 10 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1964 and 2025, ending at #152 and #73.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 55 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Peter and William averaged 29.5 places apart, ending at #83 and #4.
- Mirrored each other
Over 81 shared years in Norway · Boys, William rose about as far as Peter fell — from #106 and #277 in 1945 to #174 and #3 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Peter and William were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 55 years, from 1952 to 2006, ending at #83 and #4.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Peter #22 in 1998, William #26 in 1997.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Peter held the stronger position in 49 of those years, William in 32.
Highest recorded here: Peter #72 in 1987, William #1 in 2012.
The order changed in 1994: William moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #96 and #112; by 1994 that had become #96 and #90.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Peter #174, William #3.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Peter held the stronger position in 7 of those years, William in 55.
Highest recorded here: Peter #13 in 1964, William #8 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Peter #152, William #73.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys55 shared years, 1952–2006
Peter held the stronger position in 38 of those years, William in 17.
Highest recorded here: Peter #1 in 1954, William #3 in 2005.
The order changed in 1990: William moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #26 and #29; by 1990 that had become #28 and #27.
Most recent shared year, 2006: Peter #83, William #4.
New Zealand · Boys51 shared years, 1954–2007
Peter held the stronger position in 28 of those years, William in 23.
Highest recorded here: Peter #1 in 1956, William #5 in 2007.
The order changed in 1982: William moved ahead. In 1981 they stood at #20 and #30; by 1982 that had become #31 and #24.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Peter #94, William #5.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Peter held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 29.
Highest recorded here: Peter #59 in 1996, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Peter #286, William #27.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Peter held the stronger position in 5 of those years, William in 23.
Highest recorded here: Peter #22 in 1998, William #26 in 1997.
The order changed in 2004: William moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #36 and #38; by 2004 that had become #40 and #35.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Peter #164, William #64.
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 | William |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection. |
| Origin | Greek/Aramaic, biblical | Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈpit.əɹ/ | /ˈwɪljəm/ |
| 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 #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| 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 William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
- Peter and William both have 2 syllables.
- Peter's recorded meaning differs from William'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
William
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #277 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1952–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys