Total births
589,588
Boys' name · since 1880
Peter
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 589,588 babies named Peter, peaking in 1957. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #192
- among boys today
- 589,588
- born since 1880
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 99%
- more common than other boys
Peter currently ranks #192 among boys' names in America, with 589,588 babies recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Peter has been recorded 589,588 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #192 nationally and more common than 99% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1950s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #192 among boys today
- 589,588 born since 1880
- 1950s peak decade
- 99% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Peter is currently the #192 boys' name in America, more common than 99% of boys - 589,588 born since 1880, peaking in the 1950s.
- #192
- among boys today
- 589,588
- born since 1880
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 99%
- more common than other boys
Peter vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#192
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 99% of names given to boys today.
1950s
Peak decade
17% of everyone ever named Peter was born in this single decade.
1957
Single peak year
11,603 babies were named Peter in 1957 - its busiest year on record.
How Peter compares
589,588 Top 0% higher than 100% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Peter's all-time total is 1,607x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Peter | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 589,588 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 11,603 | 23 | 22,252 |
Peter's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Peter splits its recorded history at 1953: 65% of all births land in the more recent half, 35% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1901 (343 births) -- compare that against the 1957 peak of 11,603 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Peter at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
1957
Current rank
#192
Active since
1880
Peter popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1957)
- 11,603
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Peter popularity over time - girls
1,943 total births recorded since 1887 (Peter as girls' name)
Peter by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Peter's strongest decade.
102,747 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 17% of all-time use.
Peter births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 4,656
1880s
4,656 births
- 1890s 4,028
1890s
4,028 births
- 1900s 4,375
1900s
4,375 births
- 1910s 24,935
1910s
24,935 births
- 1920s 34,066
1920s
34,066 births
- 1930s 35,822
1930s
35,822 births
- 1940s
1940s
69,330 births
- 1950s
1950s
102,747 births
- 1960s
1960s
92,418 births
- 1970s
1970s
62,320 births
- 1980s
1980s
56,713 births
- 1990s
1990s
42,394 births
- 2000s 26,136
2000s
26,136 births
- 2010s 18,725
2010s
18,725 births
- 2020s 10,923
2020s
10,923 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 102,747 births (17% of all-time use).
How Peter compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Peter's total volume
Peter vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Peter by state
Where Peter concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 117,080 | 19.9% |
| #2 | California | | 50,522 | 8.6% |
| #3 | Massachusetts | | 44,732 | 7.6% |
| #4 | New Jersey | | 37,499 | 6.4% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 37,194 | 6.3% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 34,056 | 5.8% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 22,137 | 3.8% |
| #8 | Connecticut | | 21,148 | 3.6% |
New York share of Peter's total US births 19.9%
Even split
117,080 of 589,588 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Peter appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Peter? ▼
Peter has been given to 589,588 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #192 as of the latest data. 11,603 babies were born in 1957, its single highest year.
When was Peter most popular? ▼
Peter was most popular in the 1950s decade with 102,747 total births. The single peak year was 1957.
Where is Peter most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Peter are New York (117,080 births), California (50,522 births), Massachusetts (44,732 births).
How long has the name Peter been used? ▼
Peter has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Peter? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Pete, Peterson, Petros, Petar, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Peter's data
- Peter's decade-level peak was the 1950s (102,747 total births); usage has since declined to 10,923 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Peters (117,080 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Peter
Nearby Names Like Peter
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Peter
Pete Boy
#3045 43,530 births
Peterson Boy
#8429 819 births
Petros Boy
#5723 715 births
Petar Boy
#6260 641 births
Petro Boy
160 births
Compare Peter side by side: Peter vs Pete Peter vs Peterson Peter vs Petros
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Peter
Tyler #191
603,970 births · Peak 1994
Camden #193
59,178 births · Peak 2013
Brayden #190
136,548 births · Peak 2010
Zachary #194
551,752 births · Peak 1993
Miguel #189
190,566 births · Peak 2007
Tatum #195
13,225 births · Peak 2024
Ashton #188
88,267 births · Peak 2004
Kevin #196
1,184,507 births · Peak 1963
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Peter: #192 Boys' Name - 589,588 Births, Peak 1957." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/peter. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Peter draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.