Pete
Boy name · #2364 in 2025 · Uniqueness 69/100
Pete is currently the #2364 boy name in the United States — 58 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2189, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 31,034 boys born in 2025 was named Pete.
Babies named Pete per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Pete first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 50 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1959, when 767 boys were named Pete — good for #285 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Pete against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Pete in class?
Pete scores 69 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Pete will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Pete is most common
Geography matters for names, and Pete is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Petes were TX (10), FL (6), TN (6), CA (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Pete
Statistically, parents drawn to Pete tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Monte, Dave, Duane, Stevie, and Dale.
MonteDaveDuaneStevieDaleDewaynePerryRobbie
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Pete | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 58 | #2363 |
| 2024 | 40 | #3045 |
| 2023 | 54 | #2480 |
| 2022 | 55 | #2493 |
| 2021 | 58 | #2349 |
| 2020 | 51 | #2505 |
| 2019 | 44 | #2808 |
| 2018 | 60 | #2262 |
| 2017 | 56 | #2319 |
| 2016 | 49 | #2551 |
| 2015 | 62 | #2189 |
| 2014 | 70 | #2017 |
| 2013 | 63 | #2113 |
| 2012 | 64 | #2104 |
| 2011 | 66 | #2035 |
| 2010 | 65 | #2069 |
| 2009 | 82 | #1809 |
| 2008 | 88 | #1719 |
| 2007 | 89 | #1700 |
| 2006 | 88 | #1627 |
| 2005 | 80 | #1674 |
| 2004 | 86 | #1542 |
| 2003 | 94 | #1410 |
| 2002 | 97 | #1357 |
| 2001 | 90 | #1390 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Pete a popular boy name?
Pete ranked #2364 among boys in 2025 with 58 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2189.
When was the name Pete most popular?
Pete peaked in 1959, when 767 American boys received the name (ranked #285 that year). Since 1959 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Pete?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 31,034 newborn American boys was named Pete. It scores 69/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.