Ben vs Jamie
Ben and Jamiecompared 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 2025, Ben was ranked #40 and Jamie #47 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2011, Ben was ranked #79 and Jamie #93 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #121 and Jamie #87 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2004, Ben was ranked #99 and Jamie #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #125 and Jamie #118 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Jamie #222 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Ben was ranked #355 and Jamie #368 among boys in Norway.
Ben and Jamie over time
Ben and Jamie appear together in 5 published lists, across 159 years of shared records. Jamie held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Ben in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Jamie reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Ben in 2. 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 2011, Ben moved ahead of Jamie in New Zealand · Boys — #80 and #53 the year before became #79 and #93.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ben and Jamie changed places 4 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #509 and #222.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Ben and Jamie averaged 12.2 places apart, ending at #99 and #95.
- Longest-running competitions
Ben and Jamie were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 30 years, from 1981 to 2011, ending at #79 and #93.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Ben #6 in 2004, Jamie #8 in 2005.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #34 and #28 in England and Wales · Boys, 6 places apart; by 2024 they were #509 and #222.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1978–2025
Ben held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Jamie in 44.
Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Jamie #10 in 2006.
The order changed in 2025: Ben moved ahead. In 2024 they stood at #41 and #30; by 2025 that had become #40 and #47.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #40, Jamie #47.
New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1981–2011
Ben held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Jamie in 23.
Highest recorded here: Ben #38 in 2002, Jamie #23 in 1990.
The order changed in 2011: Ben moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #80 and #53; by 2011 that had become #79 and #93.
Most recent shared year, 2011: Ben #79, Jamie #93.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Jamie in 23.
Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Jamie #28 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Jamie #222.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Jamie in 21.
Highest recorded here: Ben #6 in 2004, Jamie #8 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #125, Jamie #118.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys25 shared years, 1976–2004
Ben held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Jamie in 18.
Highest recorded here: Ben #41 in 1981, Jamie #35 in 1976.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Ben #99, Jamie #95.
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 | Jamie |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Originally a Lowland Scots diminutive of James; used as a feminine name too since the late 19th century. |
| Origin | Hebrew/Germanic, short form | Scottish, diminutive of James |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛn/ | /ˈd͡ʒeɪ.mi/ |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #47 (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 Jamie is recorded with a Scottish, diminutive of James origin.
- Ben has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Jamie.
- Ben's recorded meaning differs from Jamie'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
Jamie
Popularity journey
First recorded1965
First recorded at #91 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1965 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2005 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #378 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys