Ben vs Dion
Ben and Dioncompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2013, Ben was ranked #32 and Dion #398 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Ben was ranked #40 and Dion #577 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1984, Ben was ranked #62 and Dion #92 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Dion #651 among boys in England and Wales.
Ben and Dion over time
Ben and Dion appear together in 2 published lists, across 61 years of shared records. Ben held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Dion in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Dion reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 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.
- Mirrored each other
Over 32 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Ben rose about as far as Dion fell — from #118 and #298 in 1992 to #40 and #577 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Ben and Dion were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 32 years, from 1992 to 2025, ending at #40 and #577.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys32 shared years, 1992–2025
Ben held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Dion in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Dion #144 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #40, Dion #577.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Dion in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Dion #271 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Dion #651.
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 | Dion |
|---|---|---|
| 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/ | |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #40 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #577 (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); Dion does not have one recorded yet.
- Ben and Dion both have 1 syllable.
- A meaning is recorded for Ben; Dion doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, 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
Dion
Popularity journey
First recorded1967
First recorded at #93 among boys in New Zealand in 1967 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1967–1984
Highest recorded position: #50 among boys in New Zealand, in 1974 (recorded 1967–1984).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #577 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys