Peter
Boy name · #187 in 2025 · Uniqueness 43/100
In 2025, 1,954 baby boys were named Peter, placing it at #187 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #205, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 921 boys born in 2025 was named Peter.
Babies named Peter per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Peter first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 496 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1957, when 11,603 boys were named Peter — good for #37 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 Peter against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Peter in class?
Peter scores 43 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Peter is most common
Geography matters for names, and Peter is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Peters were TX (162), CA (146), NY (111), FL (90), IL (78). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Peter
Statistically, parents drawn to Peter tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Paul, Patrick, Kevin, Timothy, and Steven.
PaulPatrickKevinTimothyStevenAlanMarkPhilip
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Peter | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,954 | #187 |
| 2024 | 1,899 | #192 |
| 2023 | 1,750 | #210 |
| 2022 | 1,773 | #213 |
| 2021 | 1,785 | #215 |
| 2020 | 1,762 | #215 |
| 2019 | 1,821 | #212 |
| 2018 | 1,826 | #211 |
| 2017 | 1,793 | #213 |
| 2016 | 1,927 | #207 |
| 2015 | 1,939 | #205 |
| 2014 | 1,923 | #204 |
| 2013 | 1,854 | #206 |
| 2012 | 1,869 | #204 |
| 2011 | 1,838 | #197 |
| 2010 | 1,935 | #193 |
| 2009 | 2,009 | #190 |
| 2008 | 2,186 | #181 |
| 2007 | 2,340 | #177 |
| 2006 | 2,481 | #167 |
| 2005 | 2,555 | #161 |
| 2004 | 2,790 | #143 |
| 2003 | 2,804 | #146 |
| 2002 | 2,873 | #134 |
| 2001 | 2,950 | #133 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Peter a popular boy name?
Peter ranked #187 among boys in 2025 with 1,954 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #205.
When was the name Peter most popular?
Peter peaked in 1957, when 11,603 American boys received the name (ranked #37 that year). Since 1957 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Peter?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 921 newborn American boys was named Peter. It scores 43/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.