Ben vs Gregory
Ben and Gregorycompared 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 2012, Ben was ranked #38 and Gregory #403 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Ben was ranked #40 and Gregory #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1988, Ben was ranked #59 and Gregory #76 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1990, Ben was ranked #64 and Gregory #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #121 and Gregory #727 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Gregory #1460 among boys in England and Wales.
Ben and Gregory over time
Ben and Gregory appear together in 4 published lists, across 97 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Gregory reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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 1987, Ben moved ahead of Gregory in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #62 and #60 the year before became #56 and #69.
- Longest-running competitions
Ben and Gregory were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 45 years, from 1978 to 2025, ending at #40 and #829.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys45 shared years, 1978–2025
Ben held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Gregory in 12.
Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Gregory #87 in 1978.
The order changed in 1993: Ben moved ahead. In 1992 they stood at #118 and #118; by 1993 that had become #112 and #120.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #40, Gregory #829.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Gregory in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Gregory #117 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Gregory #1460.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys15 shared years, 1976–1990
Ben held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Gregory in 9.
Highest recorded here: Ben #41 in 1981, Gregory #30 in 1978.
The order changed in 1987: Ben moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #62 and #60; by 1987 that had become #56 and #69.
Most recent shared year, 1990: Ben #64, Gregory #95.
New Zealand · Boys8 shared years, 1981–1988
Ben held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Gregory in 6.
Highest recorded here: Ben #59 in 1985, Gregory #51 in 1981.
The order changed in 1988: Ben moved ahead. In 1987 they stood at #76 and #72; by 1988 that had become #59 and #76.
Most recent shared year, 1988: Ben #59, Gregory #76.
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 | Gregory |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| 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. | From Latin Gregorius, from Late Greek Gregorios, from 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), itself from 'egeiro' ('to awaken'). Borne by Saint Gregory the Illuminator and Pope Gregory I the Great. |
| Origin | Hebrew/Germanic, short form | From Late Greek 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), via the Latin Gregorius |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛn/ | /ˈɡɹɛɡ.ə.ɹi/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 3 |
| 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 #829 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ben is recorded with a Hebrew/Germanic, short form origin, while Gregory is recorded with a From Late Greek 'gregoros' ('watchful, alert'), via the Latin Gregorius origin.
- Ben has 1 syllable, compared with 3 for Gregory.
- Ben's recorded meaning differs from Gregory's — see the table above for each.
- 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
Gregory
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #9 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1990
Highest recorded position: #7 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–1990).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys