UK boy's name
Peer
A Scandinavian name of unknown meaning and origin, possibly derived from the term "pjer", meaning comrade or companion.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2000. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Peer is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Peer popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2000 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3036, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2000, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2000 to 2000. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Peer is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Peer. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2001 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Peer ranked #3036 for boys in England and Wales in 2000, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2000, when 3 boys were registered as Peer.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Peer as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3036
2000
Births in 2000
3
Latest year
Peak year
2000
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Peer mean?
The name Peer is derived from the Latin name Petrus, which means "rock" or "stone." This name has its origins in Ancient Rome, where it was a common name given to boys.
During the spread of Christianity, the name Petrus became popular among early Christians, particularly due to its association with Saint Peter, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. The name Peer is a variation of Petrus and emerged in several European languages, including German, Dutch, and Scandinavian languages.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Peer can be found in the Old Norse literature, specifically in the Poetic Edda, a collection of ancient Norse poems. In this text, Peer is mentioned as the name of a character who appears in various mythological tales.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Peer. One of the most famous was Peer Gynt, a fictional character created by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen in his play of the same name, published in 1867. The play explores themes of identity, self-discovery, and the quest for meaning in life.
Another noteworthy Peer was Peer Richartz (1589-1640), a German artist known for his religious paintings and altarpieces. He was a prominent figure in the Baroque period and contributed significantly to the development of art in the Rhineland region.
In the realm of science, Peer Edvard Philipsen (1866-1958) was a Danish botanist who made significant contributions to the study of plant anatomy and morphology. He was a professor at the University of Copenhagen and published several influential works on plant structure and development.
In the field of literature, Peer Hultberg (1935-2007) was a Swedish author and poet. He was awarded the prestigious Nordic Council's Literature Prize in 1976 for his poetry collection "Sista Bokstaven" (The Last Letter).
Lastly, Peer Steinbrück (born 1947) is a German politician who served as the Minister of Finance of Germany from 2005 to 2009. He was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany and played a significant role in managing the country's economic policies during the global financial crisis.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Peer by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Peer was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #3036 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Peer
- Patrick 17,559
- Peter 13,150
- Paul 8,542
- Philip 4,997
- Parker 4,664
- Phoenix 3,865
- Preston 3,370
- Prince 1,782
- Patryk 1,763
- Phillip 1,697
- Percy 1,395
- Perry 1,015
FAQ
Peer: questions and answers
How popular is the name Peer in the UK right now?
In 2000, Peer was ranked #3036 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Peer most popular?
The peak year on record was 2000, with 3 babies registered as Peer in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Peer?
A Scandinavian name of unknown meaning and origin, possibly derived from the term "pjer", meaning comrade or companion.
How many people are called Peer in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Peer across the 1 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.