Arthur vs Ben
Arthur 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #4 and Ben #509 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #16 and Ben #125 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Arthur was ranked #24 and Ben #121 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Arthur was ranked #57 and Ben #40 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Arthur was ranked #86 and Ben #355 among boys in Norway.
Arthur and Ben over time
Arthur and Ben appear together in 4 published lists, across 157 years of shared records. Ben held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Arthur in 1.
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.
Ben reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Arthur 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 Northern Ireland · Boys, Arthur moved into the top 50 at #21 in 2018 as Ben fell out of it to #64, having been #38 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2011, Arthur moved ahead of Ben in England and Wales · Boys — #82 and #73 the year before became #68 and #97.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Arthur and Ben changed places 12 times in Norway · Boys between 1950 and 2023, ending at #86 and #355.
- Longest-running competitions
Arthur and Ben were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 61 years, from 1950 to 2023, ending at #86 and #355.
List by list
Norway · Boys61 shared years, 1950–2023
Arthur held the stronger position in 45 of those years, Ben in 16.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #74 in 2020, Ben #233 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Arthur #86, Ben #355.
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1978–2025
Arthur held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Ben in 40.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #47 in 2024, Ben #14 in 2005.
The order changed in 1986: Ben moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #177 and #185; by 1986 that had become #181 and #162.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Arthur #57, Ben #40.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Ben in 15.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #3 in 2020, Ben #21 in 2002.
The order changed in 2011: Arthur moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #82 and #73; by 2011 that had become #68 and #97.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #4, Ben #509.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 2004–2024
Arthur held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Ben in 13.
Highest recorded here: Arthur #14 in 2023, Ben #6 in 2004.
The order changed in 2018: Arthur moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #42 and #38; by 2018 that had become #21 and #64.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Arthur #16, Ben #125.
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 | Arthur | Ben |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Meaning debated — no single origin is established with confidence. | A short form of Benjamin, Benedict and other names beginning with 'Ben'; in Dutch, can also be short for Bernhard. |
| Origin | Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman | Hebrew/Germanic, short form |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɑɹθər/ | /ˈbɛn/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Art, Artie | 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 | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #19 (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 | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Arthur is recorded with a Disputed — possibly Celtic (Brittonic), possibly Roman origin, while Ben is recorded with a Hebrew/Germanic, short form origin.
- Arthur has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Ben.
- Arthur'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.
- The available evidence gives Arthur a "high" Data Confidence level and Ben a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
How each name got here
Arthur
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #153 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in England and Wales, in 2020 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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