Andrew vs Ben
Andrew and Bencompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Andrew was ranked #106 and Ben #40 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2004, Andrew was ranked #45 and Ben #99 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2011, Andrew was ranked #76 and Ben #79 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #104 and Ben #121 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #216 and Ben #125 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Andrew was ranked #315 and Ben #509 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2016, Andrew was ranked #402 and Ben #404 among boys in Norway.
Andrew and Ben over time
Andrew and Ben appear together in 6 published lists, across 211 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Andrew reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Ben in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2024, Ben moved ahead of Andrew in Northern Ireland · Boys — #139 and #145 the year before became #216 and #125.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Andrew and Ben changed places 8 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1981 and 2011, ending at #76 and #79.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Andrew and Ben averaged 51.1 places apart, ending at #315 and #509.
- Longest-running competitions
Andrew and Ben were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 30 years, from 1981 to 2011, ending at #76 and #79.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Andrew #4 in 1980, Ben #41 in 1981.
List by list
Norway · Boys51 shared years, 1950–2016
Andrew held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Ben in 15.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #206 in 1963, Ben #233 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2016: Andrew #402, Ben #404.
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1978–2025
Andrew held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Ben in 26.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #16 in 1992, Ben #14 in 2005.
The order changed in 2000: Ben moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #28 and #38; by 2000 that had become #31 and #30.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Andrew #106, Ben #40.
New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1981–2011
Andrew held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Ben in 4.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #4 in 1981, Ben #38 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2011: Andrew #76, Ben #79.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Andrew held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Ben in 20.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #29 in 1996, Ben #21 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Andrew #315, Ben #509.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Andrew held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Ben in 22.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #5 in 1997, Ben #6 in 2004.
The order changed in 2024: Ben moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #139 and #145; by 2024 that had become #216 and #125.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Andrew #216, Ben #125.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys26 shared years, 1976–2004
Andrew held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Ben in 0.
Highest recorded here: Andrew #4 in 1980, Ben #41 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Andrew #45, Ben #99.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Andrew | Ben |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The English form of Greek Andreas, from 'andreios' ('manly, masculine'), itself from 'aner' ('man'). The apostle Andrew was the first disciple to join Jesus and is patron saint of Scotland. | A short form of Benjamin, Benedict and other names beginning with 'Ben'; in Dutch, can also be short for Bernhard. |
| Origin | Greek, biblical | Hebrew/Germanic, short form |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.dɹuː/ | /ˈbɛn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #106 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #40 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Andrew is recorded with a Greek, biblical origin, while Ben is recorded with a Hebrew/Germanic, short form origin.
- Andrew has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Ben.
- Andrew's recorded meaning differs from Ben's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Andrew
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #344 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–2013
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1954–2013).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #106 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Ben
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #376 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #40 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys