“This name change was meant to show both Peter’s rank as leader of the apostles......”
Wrong.
1 Peter 5:1-3 - “So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.”
Peter refers to himself as simply a “fellow elder”. Not senior elder, not head elder, or any other bogus title.
Then why is Peter given the Keys of Heaven?
Notice that is “Keys” (plural)
Why is Peter always listed first in the lists of the apostles given by the four evangelists?
Why does the one could run faster (John) wait for Peter to enter the tomb first?
Why is it that Peter, even though he denied Christ in one instance, recognizes him and blurts out, “It is the Lord.”
??
St. Peter pray for the unbelievers.
Peter never hesitated to take the lead, he was led by the Holy Spirit to do so. History confirms Peter as the first pope even if he himself did not see or understand that as his role.
One must understand that though they were the first Apostles and the first disciples, they did not know everything. We see in Acts how questions came up, then the Apostles gathered and a decision was reached on how to handle or answer these situations.
That dynamic has not changed in the Church since its beginning.