UK boy's name
Pete
A masculine diminutive of the name Peter, meaning "rock" or "stone".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2019. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Pete is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Pete popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2019 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4702, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 5 births.
This profile covers 41 England and Wales registrations across 11 recorded years from 1996 to 2019. 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.
The latest count is about 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 41 living people in the UK are called Pete. 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 2020 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Pete ranked #4702 for boys in England and Wales in 2019, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2007, when 5 boys were registered as Pete.
- • About 41 living people in the UK are estimated to have Pete as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4702
2019
Births in 2019
3
Latest year
Peak year
2007
5 births
Estimated living
41
2026
Meaning
What does Pete mean?
The name Pete is a diminutive form derived from the Greek name Petros, which means "rock" or "stone." This name has its origins in the 1st century AD and is closely associated with Saint Peter, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. The name was widely adopted in Christian communities across Europe during the early centuries of Christianity.
Pete is a shortened version of the name Peter, which was popularized by the apostle Simon Peter, who is considered the first Pope of the Catholic Church. The name gained widespread use throughout the Roman Empire and later spread to other regions as Christianity expanded.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pete can be found in the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus refers to Simon as "Petros" or "Peter." This biblical reference contributed significantly to the name's popularity among Christians.
Over the centuries, several notable historical figures have borne the name Pete. One of the most famous was Pete the Hermit (c. 1050-1115), a French priest and monastic who played a crucial role in instigating the First Crusade. Another notable bearer of the name was Pete the Great (1672-1725), the influential Tsar of Russia who modernized and expanded the country's territory.
In the realm of literature, the name Pete is associated with the fictional character Pete the Cat, the protagonist of a popular children's book series written by Eric Litwin and illustrated by James Dean. The series, which began in 2010, has garnered numerous awards and acclaim for its engaging storytelling and vibrant illustrations.
Other notable individuals with the name Pete include Pete Seeger (1919-2014), an American folk singer and social activist known for his contributions to the folk music revival of the 1960s, and Pete Rose (born 1941), a former professional baseball player and manager who holds the record for the most hits in Major League Baseball history.
The name Pete has also been associated with several iconic musicians, such as Pete Townshend (born 1945), the guitarist and principal songwriter for the rock band The Who, and Pete Best (born 1941), the original drummer for the legendary British band The Beatles.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Pete over time
The chart below shows babies named Pete registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2019. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Pete, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2019, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Pete by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Pete 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4737 | 12 | 4 |
| 2000s | #3115 | 22 | 5 |
| 1990s | #2608 | 7 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Pete
- 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
Pete: questions and answers
How popular is the name Pete in the UK right now?
In 2019, Pete was ranked #4702 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Pete most popular?
The peak year on record was 2007, with 5 babies registered as Pete in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Pete?
A masculine diminutive of the name Peter, meaning "rock" or "stone".
How many people are called Pete in the UK?
A total of 41 babies have been registered as Pete across the 11 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.