Ben vs Jason
Ben and Jasoncompared 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 Jason #135 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2004, Ben was ranked #42 and Jason #85 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2004, Ben was ranked #99 and Jason #79 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #121 and Jason #199 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #125 and Jason #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Jason #197 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Ben was ranked #355 and Jason #463 among boys in Norway.
Ben and Jason over time
Ben and Jason appear together in 6 published lists, across 187 years of shared records. Ben held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Jason in 2.
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.
Jason reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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 2015, Jason moved ahead of Ben in England and Wales · Boys — #156 and #162 the year before became #165 and #163.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ben and Jason changed places 8 times in Norway · Boys between 1969 and 2023, ending at #355 and #463.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 26 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Ben and Jason averaged 38.2 places apart, ending at #99 and #79.
- Longest-running competitions
Ben and Jason were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 33 years, from 1969 to 2023, ending at #355 and #463.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — Ben #276 in 1972, Jason #330 in 1972.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1978–2025
Ben held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Jason in 21.
Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Jason #19 in 1989.
The order changed in 2000: Ben moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #38 and #35; by 2000 that had become #30 and #39.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #40, Jason #135.
Norway · Boys33 shared years, 1969–2023
Ben held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Jason in 4.
Highest recorded here: Ben #276 in 1972, Jason #330 in 1972.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ben #355, Jason #463.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Jason in 10.
Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Jason #69 in 1996.
The order changed in 2015: Jason moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #156 and #162; by 2015 that had become #165 and #163.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Jason #197.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Jason in 1.
Highest recorded here: Ben #6 in 2004, Jason #36 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #125, Jason #305.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys26 shared years, 1976–2004
Ben held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jason in 26.
Highest recorded here: Ben #41 in 1981, Jason #6 in 1976.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Ben #99, Jason #79.
New Zealand · Boys24 shared years, 1981–2004
Ben held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Jason in 19.
Highest recorded here: Ben #38 in 2002, Jason #8 in 1981.
The order changed in 2001: Ben moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #64 and #59; by 2001 that had become #55 and #75.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Ben #42, Jason #85.
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 | Jason |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Ancient Greek Iason, meaning 'healer'. In Greek mythology, Jason led the Argonauts in the quest for the Golden Fleece; the name also appears in the New Testament as a Hellenized form possibly of a Hebrew name. |
| Origin | Hebrew/Germanic, short form | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛn/ | /ˈd͡ʒeɪ.sən/ |
| 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 #135 (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 Jason is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Ben has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Jason.
- Ben's recorded meaning differs from Jason'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
Jason
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2005
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1971 (recorded 1964–2005).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #135 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys