Anthony vs Ben
Anthony 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, Anthony was ranked #135 and Ben #40 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2004, Anthony was ranked #47 and Ben #99 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2005, Anthony was ranked #75 and Ben #63 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #152 and Ben #121 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #202 and Ben #125 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Anthony was ranked #216 and Ben #509 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Anthony was ranked #406 and Ben #355 among boys in Norway.
Anthony and Ben over time
Anthony and Ben appear together in 6 published lists, across 212 years of shared records. Ben held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Anthony in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Anthony 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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Ben moved into the top 50 at #48 in 1998 as Anthony fell out of it to #54, having been #50 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2014, Anthony moved ahead of Ben in England and Wales · Boys — #148 and #140 the year before became #135 and #156.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Anthony and Ben changed places 26 times in Norway · Boys between 1952 and 2023, ending at #406 and #355.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 26 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Anthony and Ben averaged 39.5 places apart, ending at #47 and #99.
- Longest-running competitions
Anthony and Ben were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 57 years, from 1952 to 2023, ending at #406 and #355.
List by list
Norway · Boys57 shared years, 1952–2023
Anthony held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Ben in 32.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #318 in 1954, Ben #233 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Anthony #406, Ben #355.
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1978–2025
Anthony held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Ben in 28.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #15 in 1978, Ben #14 in 2005.
The order changed in 1998: Ben moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #50 and #59; by 1998 that had become #54 and #48.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Anthony #135, Ben #40.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Ben in 18.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #65 in 1996, Ben #21 in 2002.
The order changed in 2014: Anthony moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #148 and #140; by 2014 that had become #135 and #156.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #216, Ben #509.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Anthony held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Ben in 28.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #70 in 1997, Ben #6 in 2004.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Anthony #202, Ben #125.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys26 shared years, 1976–2004
Anthony held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Ben in 0.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #16 in 1976, Ben #41 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Anthony #47, Ben #99.
New Zealand · Boys25 shared years, 1981–2005
Anthony held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Ben in 7.
Highest recorded here: Anthony #30 in 1990, Ben #38 in 2002.
The order changed in 1999: Ben moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #60 and #63; by 1999 that had become #60 and #53.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Anthony #75, Ben #63.
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 | Anthony | Ben |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | The English form of the Roman family name Antonius, of unknown Etruscan origin. Later incorrectly associated with Greek 'anthos' ('flower'), which led to the addition of the 'h' to this spelling in the 17th century. | A short form of Benjamin, Benedict and other names beginning with 'Ben'; in Dutch, can also be short for Bernhard. |
| Origin | Etruscan (unknown origin) | Hebrew/Germanic, short form |
| Pronunciation | /ˈæn.θə.ni/ | /ˈbɛn/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 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 #135 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #40 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Anthony is recorded with a Etruscan (unknown origin) origin, while Ben is recorded with a Hebrew/Germanic, short form origin.
- Anthony has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Ben.
- Anthony'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
Anthony
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #355 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2021
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1968 (recorded 1952–2021).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #451 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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