Peter
Boy name · #187 in 2025 · Well-known
How old is the name Peter? In official American birth records, Peter has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
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. Source: Official national birth records.
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?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Peter is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Peter is most common
Geography matters for names, and Peter is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Peter is most common in DC (6.3 per 1,000), AK (4.4 per 1,000), ME (3.4 per 1,000), MT (3.2 per 1,000), NH (2.9 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.3 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Peter is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Peter
Peter carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
Counted as one name, the Peter family went to about 2,012 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #181, versus #187 for Peter alone.
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
How old is the name Peter?
In official American birth records, the name Peter first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 496 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
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. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.