Ben vs Fraser
Ben and Frasercompared 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 2021, Ben was ranked #32 and Fraser #755 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1982, Ben was ranked #90 and Fraser #92 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #121 and Fraser #101 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #125 and Fraser #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Fraser #306 among boys in England and Wales.
Ben and Fraser over time
Ben and Fraser appear together in 2 published lists, across 45 years of shared records. Ben held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Fraser in 0.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Fraser in 7.
Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Fraser #136 in 1996.
The order changed in 2018: Fraser moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #234 and #246; by 2018 that had become #274 and #226.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Fraser #306.
Northern Ireland · Boys16 shared years, 2001–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Fraser in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ben #9 in 2006, Fraser #247 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #125, Fraser #305.
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 | Fraser |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #40 (2025) | Scotland · Boys #101 (2024) |
| 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); Fraser does not have one recorded yet.
- Ben has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Fraser.
- A meaning is recorded for Ben; Fraser 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
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
Fraser
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #136 among boys in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #306 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · Boys