Namewise

Ben vs Jacob

Ben and Jacobcompared 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.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2011, Ben was ranked #79 and Jacob #11 among boys in New Zealand.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Ben was ranked #125 and Jacob #13 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2004, Ben was ranked #99 and Jacob #16 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Ben was ranked #121 and Jacob #27 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Ben was ranked #40 and Jacob #62 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Ben was ranked #487 and Jacob #41 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2023, Ben was ranked #355 and Jacob #60 among boys in Norway.

Ben and Jacob over time

Ben and Jacob appear together in 6 published lists, across 212 years of shared records. Jacob held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ben in 1.

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.

Ben reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Jacob 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 2004, Jacob moved ahead of Ben in England and Wales · Boys — #26 and #27 the year before became #27 and #23.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Ben and Jacob changed places 10 times in Norway · Boys between 1950 and 2023, ending at #355 and #60.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 20 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Ben and Jacob averaged 44.0 places apart, ending at #99 and #16.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 20 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Jacob rose about as far as Ben fell — from #54 and #77 in 1982 to #99 and #16 in 2004.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Ben and Jacob were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #487 and #41.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Ben #38 in 2002, Jacob #6 in 2003.

  • Started together, ended far apart

    In 1996 they stood at #34 and #35 in England and Wales · Boys, 1 places apart; by 2025 they were #487 and #41.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys64 shared years, 1950–2023

    Ben held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Jacob in 52.

    Highest recorded here: Ben #233 in 1965, Jacob #34 in 2017.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Ben #355, Jacob #60.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys39 shared years, 1980–2025

    Ben held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Jacob in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Jacob #37 in 2016.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #40, Jacob #62.

  • New Zealand · Boys31 shared years, 1981–2011

    Ben held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Jacob in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Ben #38 in 2002, Jacob #6 in 2003.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2011: Ben #79, Jacob #11.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Ben held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Jacob in 27.

    Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Jacob #4 in 2013.

    The order changed in 2004: Jacob moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #26 and #27; by 2004 that had become #27 and #23.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #487, Jacob #41.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Ben held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Jacob in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Ben #6 in 2004, Jacob #5 in 2017.

    The order changed in 2011: Jacob moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #19 and #24; by 2011 that had become #23 and #22.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #125, Jacob #13.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys20 shared years, 1982–2004

    Ben held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Jacob in 16.

    Highest recorded here: Ben #52 in 1984, Jacob #13 in 1998.

    The order changed in 1986: Jacob moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #54 and #59; by 1986 that had become #62 and #54.

    Most recent shared year, 2004: Ben #99, Jacob #16.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Ben

Pairs where Ben shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Jacob

Pairs where Jacob shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ben, Jacob
FieldBenJacob
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningA short form of Benjamin, Benedict and other names beginning with 'Ben'; in Dutch, can also be short for Bernhard.Commonly interpreted as 'holder of the heel' or 'supplanter', referencing the biblical account of Jacob being born grasping his twin brother Esau's heel. A less common alternate theory holds it may derive from a longer form meaning roughly 'may God protect'.
OriginHebrew/Germanic, short formBiblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin
Pronunciation/ˈbɛn//ˈdʒeɪkəb/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #40 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #41 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Ben is recorded with a Hebrew/Germanic, short form origin, while Jacob is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin origin.
  • Ben has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Jacob.
  • Ben's recorded meaning differs from Jacob's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, 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 #487 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Jacob

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #273 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1996–2025

    Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 1996–2025).

    England and Wales · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #41 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys