Counter admiral is a rank

Military rank

Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms...

 found in many navies of the world, but no longer used in English-speaking countries, where the equivalent rank is rear admiral

Rear Admiral

Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...

. The term derives from the French contre-amiral, meaning "secondary admiral".

In modern navies that use it, rear (counter) admiral is generally, although not always, the lowest flag officer rank (in the German Navy

German Navy

The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy...

, for instance, Flotillenadmiral ranks below Konteradmiral; in the Canadian Navy, contre-amiral/Rear Admiral ranks above commodore

Commodore (Canada)

Commodore is the lowest of the flag officer ranks in the Royal Canadian Navy; it is equivalent to Brigadier General in the Army and Air Force. It is junior to Rear Admiral and Major General, and senior to Captain and Colonel....

).