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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Jacob #30 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Ben was ranked #40 and Jacob #62 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
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 211 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 New Zealand · Boys for 31 years, from 1981 to 2011, ending at #79 and #11.
- 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 2024 they were #509 and #30.
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 · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Jacob in 26.
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, 2024: Ben #509, Jacob #30.
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.
Side by side
| Field | Ben | Jacob |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | 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'. |
| Origin | Hebrew/Germanic, short form | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛn/ | /ˈdʒeɪkəb/ |
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #40 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #42 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| 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 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
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
Jacob
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #42 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys