Ben vs Declan
Ben and Declancompared 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 Declan #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2011, Ben was ranked #79 and Declan #98 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2004, Ben was ranked #99 and Declan #82 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #121 and Declan #404 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #125 and Declan #256 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Declan #371 among boys in England and Wales.
Ben and Declan over time
Ben and Declan appear together in 3 published lists, across 104 years of shared records. Ben held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Declan in 0.
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.
Declan 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.
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 1996, Ben moved ahead of Declan in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #100 and #75 the year before became #74 and #77.
- Longest-running competitions
Ben and Declan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 47 years, from 1978 to 2025, ending at #40 and #348.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Ben #21 in 2002, Declan #66 in 2000.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1978–2025
Ben held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Declan in 17.
Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Declan #26 in 1978.
The order changed in 1996: Ben moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #100 and #75; by 1996 that had become #74 and #77.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #40, Declan #348.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Declan in 2.
Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Declan #66 in 2000.
The order changed in 2023: Declan moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #371 and #381; by 2023 that had become #447 and #388.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Declan #371.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Declan in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ben #6 in 2004, Declan #54 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #125, Declan #256.
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 | Declan |
|---|---|---|
| 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 #348 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| 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); Declan does not have one recorded yet.
- Ben has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Declan.
- A meaning is recorded for Ben; Declan 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
Declan
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #23 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1971 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys