Namewise

Ben vs Cory

Ben and Corycompared 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 2022, Ben was ranked #40 and Cory #657 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1993, Ben was ranked #73 and Cory #98 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2021, Ben was ranked #95 and Cory #295 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Ben was ranked #121 and Cory #404 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Cory #1595 among boys in England and Wales.

Ben and Cory over time

Ben and Cory appear together in 3 published lists, across 70 years of shared records. Ben held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Cory in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Cory reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Ben held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Cory in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Cory #140 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Cory #1595.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys22 shared years, 19912022

    Ben held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Cory in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Cory #214 in 1999.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Ben #40, Cory #657.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 19972021

    Ben held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Cory in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Ben #6 in 2004, Cory #168 in 1999.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2021: Ben #95, Cory #295.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Ben, Cory
FieldBenCory
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningA short form of Benjamin, Benedict and other names beginning with 'Ben'; in Dutch, can also be short for Bernhard.Not yet recorded
OriginHebrew/Germanic, short formNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈbɛn/Not yet recorded
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #40 (2025)Scotland · Boys #404 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ben has a recorded origin (Hebrew/Germanic, short form); Cory does not have one recorded yet.
  • Ben has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Cory.
  • A meaning is recorded for Ben; Cory doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Ben

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #40 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

Cory

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1991

    First recorded at #77 among boys in New Zealand in 1991 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1991–1993

    Highest recorded position: #77 among boys in New Zealand, in 1991 (recorded 1991–1993).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #1595 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Boys