Ben vs Cody
Ben and Codycompared 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, Ben was ranked #40 and Cody #90 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2004, Ben was ranked #99 and Cody #55 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2011, Ben was ranked #79 and Cody #71 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #121 and Cody #80 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #125 and Cody #81 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Cody #107 among boys in England and Wales.
Ben and Cody over time
Ben and Cody appear together in 5 published lists, across 126 years of shared records. Ben held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Cody in 2.
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.
Ben reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, and Cody 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 2013, Cody moved ahead of Ben in England and Wales · Boys — #118 and #123 the year before became #140 and #123.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ben and Cody changed places 8 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1986 and 2011, ending at #79 and #71.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 25 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Ben and Cody averaged 18.4 places apart, ending at #79 and #71.
- Longest-running competitions
Ben and Cody were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 35 years, from 1991 to 2025, ending at #40 and #90.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys35 shared years, 1991–2025
Ben held the stronger position in 35 of those years, Cody in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Cody #88 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #40, Cody #90.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Cody in 12.
Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Cody #103 in 2023.
The order changed in 2013: Cody moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #118 and #123; by 2013 that had become #140 and #123.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Cody #107.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Cody in 3.
Highest recorded here: Ben #6 in 2004, Cody #81 in 2024.
The order changed in 2023: Cody moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #82 and #91; by 2023 that had become #145 and #98.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #125, Cody #81.
New Zealand · Boys25 shared years, 1986–2011
Ben held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Cody in 19.
Highest recorded here: Ben #38 in 2002, Cody #37 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2011: Ben #79, Cody #71.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys9 shared years, 1993–2004
Ben held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Cody in 9.
Highest recorded here: Ben #77 in 1993, Cody #53 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Ben #99, Cody #55.
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 | Ben | Cody |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A short form of Benjamin, Benedict and other names beginning with 'Ben'; in Dutch, can also be short for Bernhard. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Hebrew/Germanic, short form | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛn/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #40 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #90 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ben has a recorded origin (Hebrew/Germanic, short form); Cody does not have one recorded yet.
- Ben has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Cody.
- A meaning is recorded for Ben; Cody doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
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
Cody
Popularity journey
First recorded1986
First recorded at #84 among boys in New Zealand in 1986 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1986–2011
Highest recorded position: #37 among boys in New Zealand, in 2005 (recorded 1986–2011).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #90 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys