Peter
Last seen for girls in 2022 at #13,592 · #187 for boys in 2025, 1,954 births
Given to boys 99.7% of the time
- Peak · boys
- 1880 · 496 births
- Debut · boys
- 496 births
- In top 100 · boys
- 117 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 589,588since 1880
Peter over time
Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | — | #187 | 1,954 | |
| 2024 | — | #192 | 1,899 | |
| 2023 | — | #210 | 1,750 | |
| 2022 | #13,592 | 6 | #213 | 1,773 |
| 2021 | — | #215 | 1,785 | |
| 2020 | — | #215 | 1,762 | |
| 2019 | — | #212 | 1,821 | |
| 2018 | — | #211 | 1,826 | |
| 2017 | — | #213 | 1,793 | |
| 2016 | — | #207 | 1,927 | |
| 2015 | — | #205 | 1,939 | |
| 2014 | — | #204 | 1,923 | |
| 2013 | — | #206 | 1,854 | |
| 2012 | — | #204 | 1,869 | |
| 2011 | — | #197 | 1,838 | |
| 2010 | — | #193 | 1,935 | |
| 2009 | — | #190 | 2,009 | |
| 2008 | — | #181 | 2,186 | |
| 2007 | — | #177 | 2,340 | |
| 2006 | #17,168 | 5 | #167 | 2,481 |
| 2005 | #14,502 | 6 | #161 | 2,555 |
| 2004 | #12,761 | 7 | #143 | 2,790 |
| 2003 | — | #146 | 2,804 | |
| 2002 | — | #134 | 2,873 | |
| 2001 | — | #133 | 2,950 | |
| 2000 | #13,154 | 6 | #125 | 3,148 |
| 1999 | — | #105 | 3,439 | |
| 1998 | — | #111 | 3,388 | |
| 1997 | #8,334 | 10 | #102 | 3,829 |
| 1996 | #10,567 | 7 | #95 | 4,082 |
| 1995 | #5,958 | 15 | #89 | 4,112 |
| 1994 | #5,713 | 16 | #87 | 4,225 |
| 1993 | #8,719 | 9 | #82 | 4,538 |
| 1992 | #5,267 | 18 | #81 | 4,598 |
| 1991 | #7,430 | 11 | #77 | 4,959 |
| 1990 | #4,523 | 21 | #74 | 5,224 |
| 1989 | #4,358 | 21 | #66 | 5,411 |
| 1988 | #3,306 | 29 | #64 | 5,425 |
| 1987 | #2,915 | 33 | #64 | 5,553 |
| 1986 | #2,300 | 44 | #60 | 5,797 |
| 1985 | #3,008 | 30 | #60 | 5,671 |
| 1984 | #2,266 | 43 | #60 | 5,633 |
| 1983 | #2,475 | 37 | #59 | 5,482 |
| 1982 | #2,369 | 41 | #57 | 5,777 |
| 1981 | #2,723 | 33 | #55 | 5,997 |
| 1980 | #2,154 | 47 | #55 | 5,967 |
| 1979 | #2,430 | 38 | #53 | 6,079 |
| 1978 | #2,431 | 36 | #54 | 5,872 |
| 1977 | #2,557 | 33 | #55 | 5,821 |
| 1976 | #2,387 | 34 | #54 | 5,445 |
| 1975 | #3,155 | 22 | #54 | 5,698 |
| 1974 | #2,433 | 31 | #50 | 5,940 |
| 1973 | #2,689 | 26 | #52 | 5,913 |
| 1972 | #2,398 | 30 | #48 | 6,471 |
| 1971 | #2,107 | 39 | #47 | 7,025 |
| 1970 | #2,043 | 40 | #44 | 8,056 |
| 1969 | #2,102 | 36 | #43 | 7,832 |
| 1968 | #2,205 | 30 | #39 | 8,122 |
| 1967 | #2,492 | 24 | #39 | 8,311 |
| 1966 | #2,022 | 33 | #39 | 8,584 |
| 1965 | #2,744 | 20 | #39 | 9,395 |
| 1964 | #3,244 | 16 | #39 | 9,911 |
| 1963 | #2,543 | 23 | #40 | 9,614 |
| 1962 | #3,161 | 16 | #43 | 9,585 |
| 1961 | #1,838 | 39 | #42 | 10,349 |
| 1960 | #2,061 | 31 | #42 | 10,715 |
| 1959 | #2,191 | 27 | #40 | 11,289 |
| 1958 | #2,581 | 20 | #41 | 10,757 |
| 1957 | #2,218 | 25 | #37 | 11,603 |
| 1956 | #2,622 | 19 | #37 | 11,334 |
| 1955 | #2,553 | 19 | #35 | 11,003 |
| 1954 | #2,592 | 18 | #37 | 10,085 |
| 1953 | #2,173 | 23 | #38 | 9,729 |
| 1952 | #3,040 | 13 | #36 | 9,586 |
| 1951 | #2,810 | 14 | #38 | 8,999 |
| 1950 | #4,738 | 6 | #37 | 8,362 |
| 1949 | #2,514 | 16 | #38 | 8,266 |
| 1948 | #2,126 | 21 | #37 | 8,048 |
| 1947 | #2,279 | 19 | #36 | 8,590 |
| 1946 | #2,482 | 15 | #38 | 7,483 |
| 1945 | #1,795 | 22 | #38 | 6,483 |
| 1944 | #1,808 | 22 | #40 | 6,340 |
| 1943 | #2,151 | 17 | #39 | 6,877 |
| 1942 | #2,046 | 18 | #39 | 6,587 |
| 1941 | #2,397 | 13 | #44 | 5,607 |
| 1940 | #1,792 | 20 | #43 | 5,049 |
| 1939 | #2,592 | 11 | #46 | 4,639 |
| 1938 | #2,021 | 16 | #48 | 4,293 |
| 1937 | #2,196 | 14 | #52 | 3,809 |
| 1936 | #2,263 | 13 | #56 | 3,714 |
| 1935 | #2,575 | 11 | #59 | 3,422 |
| 1934 | #1,556 | 23 | #61 | 3,290 |
| 1933 | #1,970 | 16 | #60 | 3,137 |
| 1932 | #1,634 | 22 | #62 | 3,130 |
| 1931 | #2,024 | 16 | #61 | 3,122 |
| 1930 | #2,110 | 16 | #56 | 3,266 |
| 1929 | #1,555 | 25 | #55 | 3,216 |
| 1928 | #1,469 | 29 | #56 | 3,299 |
| 1927 | #1,619 | 26 | #59 | 3,301 |
| 1926 | #1,997 | 19 | #58 | 3,358 |
| 1925 | #2,617 | 13 | #60 | 3,373 |
| 1924 | #2,212 | 17 | #59 | 3,520 |
| 1923 | #2,091 | 18 | #58 | 3,409 |
| 1922 | #1,730 | 24 | #57 | 3,545 |
| 1921 | #2,282 | 16 | #57 | 3,548 |
| 1920 | #2,172 | 17 | #57 | 3,497 |
| 1919 | #2,156 | 16 | #57 | 3,375 |
| 1918 | #2,822 | 11 | #53 | 3,711 |
| 1917 | #2,428 | 13 | #50 | 3,464 |
| 1916 | #2,368 | 13 | #50 | 3,370 |
| 1915 | #1,672 | 20 | #48 | 3,302 |
| 1914 | #2,009 | 12 | #48 | 2,624 |
| 1913 | #2,164 | 9 | #51 | 1,934 |
| 1912 | #2,979 | 5 | #48 | 1,679 |
| 1911 | #2,463 | 5 | #50 | 845 |
| 1910 | — | #56 | 631 | |
| 1909 | — | #56 | 539 | |
| 1908 | — | #53 | 541 | |
| 1907 | — | #61 | 473 | |
| 1906 | #1,727 | 6 | #59 | 427 |
| 1905 | — | #62 | 409 | |
| 1904 | — | #62 | 395 | |
| 1903 | — | #58 | 372 | |
| 1902 | — | #51 | 433 | |
| 1901 | — | #56 | 343 | |
| 1900 | — | #58 | 443 | |
| 1899 | #1,394 | 6 | #53 | 354 |
| 1898 | — | #54 | 409 | |
| 1897 | — | #51 | 397 | |
| 1896 | — | #52 | 402 | |
| 1895 | — | #53 | 412 | |
| 1894 | — | #55 | 391 | |
| 1893 | — | #53 | 392 | |
| 1892 | — | #45 | 465 | |
| 1891 | — | #45 | 396 | |
| 1890 | — | #43 | 410 | |
| 1889 | — | #45 | 425 | |
| 1888 | — | #41 | 498 | |
| 1887 | #1,036 | 6 | #43 | 421 |
| 1886 | — | #42 | 437 | |
| 1885 | — | #33 | 516 | |
| 1884 | — | #34 | 524 | |
| 1883 | — | #36 | 450 | |
| 1882 | — | #36 | 461 | |
| 1881 | — | #37 | 428 | |
| 1880 | — | #31 | 496 | |
In the first year the SSA published name data, Peter was already there! It came in at #31, and was given to 496 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1886–1907, when fewer than 500 boys a year got the name.
Where Peter is popular in 1940
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- Connecticut#15 · 1 in 55
- Massachusetts#15 · 1 in 61
- New Hampshire#16 · 1 in 64
- Maine#16 · 1 in 78
- New York#17 · 1 in 67
Best ever in a state: #2 in Alaska, 1930.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | #15 | 201 | 1 in 55 |
| Massachusetts | #15 | 502 | 1 in 61 |
| Maine | #16 | 82 | 1 in 78 |
| New Hampshire | #16 | 55 | 1 in 64 |
| New Jersey | #17 | 360 | 1 in 75 |
| New York | #17 | 1,406 | 1 in 67 |
| Rhode Island | #18 | 66 | 1 in 70 |
| Alaska | #19 | 8 | 1 in 55 |
| Vermont | #21 | 32 | 1 in 80 |
| District of Columbia | #25 | 42 | 1 in 151 |
| Wisconsin | #28 | 186 | 1 in 135 |
| Hawaii | #30 | 34 | 1 in 106 |
| Delaware | #34 | 13 | 1 in 140 |
| Minnesota | #35 | 133 | 1 in 180 |
| California | #37 | 285 | 1 in 185 |
| Illinois | #41 | 264 | 1 in 223 |
| Michigan | #42 | 209 | 1 in 220 |
| Pennsylvania | #45 | 343 | 1 in 224 |
| Washington | #51 | 52 | 1 in 241 |
| Arizona | #56 | 23 | 1 in 218 |
| Ohio | #66 | 144 | 1 in 376 |
| New Mexico | #68 | 22 | 1 in 271 |
| Oregon | #70 | 25 | 1 in 316 |
| North Dakota | #72 | 17 | 1 in 328 |
| South Dakota | #78 | 15 | 1 in 337 |
| Louisiana | #84 | 66 | 1 in 343 |
| Colorado | #92 | 23 | 1 in 427 |
| Florida | #99 | 30 | 1 in 516 |
| Indiana | #105 | 44 | 1 in 646 |
| Montana | #105 | 10 | 1 in 472 |
| Utah | #105 | 12 | 1 in 461 |
| Iowa | #108 | 35 | 1 in 601 |
| Maryland | #109 | 17 | 1 in 793 |
| Missouri | #136 | 35 | 1 in 834 |
| Idaho | #144 | 7 | 1 in 693 |
| Virginia | #161 | 26 | 1 in 940 |
| Alabama | #176 | 24 | 1 in 1,201 |
| South Carolina | #177 | 19 | 1 in 1,117 |
| West Virginia | #189 | 15 | 1 in 1,292 |
| Texas | #198 | 59 | 1 in 1,055 |
| Georgia | #203 | 20 | 1 in 1,557 |
| Mississippi | #216 | 14 | 1 in 1,557 |
| Kansas | #218 | 7 | 1 in 1,850 |
| Nebraska | #220 | 5 | 1 in 1,941 |
| North Carolina | #221 | 21 | 1 in 1,761 |
| Tennessee | #249 | 11 | 1 in 2,538 |
| Kentucky | #273 | 11 | 1 in 2,596 |
| Oklahoma | #274 | 9 | 1 in 2,368 |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Peter
- 5 spots since 2024 (#192 → #187)
- 28 spots since 2020 (#215 → #187)
- 18 spots since 2015 (#205 → #187)
- Biggest jump: 18 spots in 2024 (#210 → #192)
- Biggest drop: 20 spots in 2000 (#105 → #125)
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1880 at #31 (496 births)
- Not yet halved from its peak
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 117 yrs · run 1880–1996
- Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
- Highest: 1 in 186 boys born in 1957 were named Peter (0.54%)
- Latest: 1 in 874 boys born in 2025 (0.11%)
- Its best rank, #31 in 1880, was only 1 in 223 (0.45%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
- 17.4% of all boys named Peter (102,747) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 4,656 | #31 (1880) | #38 |
| 1890s | 4,028 | #43 (1890) | #50 |
| 1900s | 4,375 | #51 (1902) | #58 |
| 1910s | 24,935 | #48 (1915) | #51 |
| 1920s | 34,066 | #55 (1929) | #58 |
| 1930s | 35,822 | #46 (1939) | #56 |
| 1940s | 69,330 | #36 (1947) | #39 |
| 1950s | 102,747 | #35 (1955) | #38 |
| 1960s | 92,418 | #39 (1964) | #41 |
| 1970s | 62,320 | #44 (1970) | #51 |
| 1980s | 56,713 | #55 (1981) | #60 |
| 1990s | 42,394 | #74 (1990) | #90 |
| 2000s | 26,136 | #125 (2000) | #156 |
| 2010s | 18,725 | #193 (2010) | #205 |
| 2020s | 10,923 | #187 (2025) | #205 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Peter in 1940
Top girls' names in 1940
Top boys' names in 1940
More about 1940
girls
1,143,528 girls got a published name in 1940; 1 in 57,176 of them was named Peter, which outranked 64.4% of the 5,028 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
- #1,745Velta21
- #1,745Vernelle21
- #1,745Veta21
- #1,792Peter20
- #1,792Amber20
- #1,792Amie20
- #1,792Ara20
- #1,845America19
- #1,845Angel19
- #1,845Anthony19
Tied with 52 names at #1,792; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,159,172 boys got a published name in 1940; 1 in 230 of them was named Peter, which outranked 98.9% of the 3,937 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.