Peter is a distinctive choice, ranked #286 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Peter in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#286
US Rank #192
About the Name Peter
Peter is gradually declining in popularity, having dropped 60 places over five years. Its high point was #59 in 1996, and it now sits at #286. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It has broken into the UK top 100 on 7 occasions, signalling genuine mainstream interest.
Peter is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school β standing out on every register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #192, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Peter
Unlikely. With around 157 UK babies named Peter per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Peter in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Peter has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 60 places in the last five years. Its peak was #59 in 1996. Choosing it now means he is likely to be among the last of his generation with this name.
Peter is more popular in the US (#192) than in the UK (#286). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Peter include: Peter Scully β Peter Gerard Scully is an Australian convicted child sex offender and alleged murderer who is imprisoned for life in the Philippines after being convicted of...; Peter Falk β Peter Michael Falk was an American actor.; Peter Attia β Peter Attia is a Canadian-American author and former researcher known for his work in longevity medicine..
Peter appears in the US top 500 at #192 in 2024 β moderately popular in America, though less so than in the UK.
157
UK babies named Peter (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.1
In a school of 600
↓ 60 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Peter
Likely around 1 other Peter in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Peter
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Peter Gerard Scully is an Australian convicted child sex offender and alleged murderer who is imprisoned for life in the Philippines after being convicted of one count of human trafficking and five counts of rape by sexual assault of children. Scully was sentenced to life imprisonment in June 2018.
Peter Michael Falk was an American actor. He is best known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo on the NBC/ABC series Columbo, for which he won four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award.
Peter Tuddenham was a British actor. He was well known for his voice work, which included the voices of the computers in the BBC science fiction series Blake's 7.
Saint Peter (born Shimon bar Yonah; c. 1 BC β AD 64/68), also known as Peter the Apostle, Simon Peter, Simeon, Simon, Cephas, or Simon Bar-Jona, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the first leaders of the early Christian Church.
Peter Attia is a Canadian-American author and former researcher known for his work in longevity medicine. He is the author of Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity.
Peter James O'Toole was an English and Irish actor known for his leading roles on stage and screen. His numerous accolades include the Academy Honorary Award, a BAFTA Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and four Golden Globe Awards as well as nominations for a Grammy Award and a Laurence Olivier Award.
Peter Paul is a male double name honouring Saints Peter and Paul. It may be treated as a single given name or as a first-name middle-name combination (in which case the bearer may go by a form of "Peter" β or "Paul" β rather than the double name).
Peter Michael Tuchman is a stock trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). He is known as "Einstein of Wall Street" due to his hairstyle, and has been called the "most photographed trader on Wall Street", typically featured in reaction shots to particularly volatile trading days.