Ben vs Jordan
Ben and Jordancompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2004, Ben was ranked #99 and Jordan #31 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Ben was ranked #40 and Jordan #179 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2011, Ben was ranked #79 and Jordan #63 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #121 and Jordan #169 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #125 and Jordan #404 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Jordan #213 among boys in England and Wales.
Ben and Jordan over time
Ben and Jordan appear together in 5 published lists, across 149 years of shared records. Ben held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Jordan in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Jordan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Ben in 1. 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 1989, Jordan moved ahead of Ben in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #61 and #90 the year before became #71 and #62.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ben and Jordan changed places 7 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1978 and 2025, ending at #40 and #179.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 30 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Ben and Jordan averaged 36.0 places apart, ending at #79 and #63.
- Longest-running competitions
Ben and Jordan were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 30 years, from 1982 to 2011, ending at #79 and #63.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys46 shared years, 1978–2025
Ben held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Jordan in 11.
Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Jordan #20 in 1999.
The order changed in 2001: Ben moved ahead. In 2000 they stood at #30 and #20; by 2001 that had become #27 and #29.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #40, Jordan #179.
New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1982–2011
Ben held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Jordan in 26.
Highest recorded here: Ben #38 in 2002, Jordan #7 in 1994.
The order changed in 1986: Jordan moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #59 and #66; by 1986 that had become #89 and #69.
Most recent shared year, 2011: Ben #79, Jordan #63.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Jordan in 14.
Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Jordan #10 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Jordan #213.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Jordan in 5.
Highest recorded here: Ben #6 in 2004, Jordan #6 in 1997.
The order changed in 2002: Ben moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #21 and #17; by 2002 that had become #8 and #32.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #125, Jordan #404.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys16 shared years, 1985–2004
Ben held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Jordan in 13.
Highest recorded here: Ben #54 in 1985, Jordan #14 in 1994.
The order changed in 1989: Jordan moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #61 and #90; by 1989 that had become #71 and #62.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Ben #99, Jordan #31.
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 | Jordan |
|---|---|---|
| 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 the Jordan River, from Hebrew Yarden ('descend, flow down'). Crusaders brought water from the river to baptize children in Europe after John the Baptist baptized Jesus there. |
| Origin | Hebrew/Germanic, short form | Biblical Hebrew (place name origin) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛn/ | /ˈd͡ʒɔɹ.dən/ |
| 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #40 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #90 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 88/100 |
| 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 Jordan is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew (place name origin) origin.
- Ben has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Jordan.
- Ben's recorded meaning differs from Jordan'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
Jordan
Popularity journey
First recorded1978
First recorded at #283 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1978 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2024
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1997–2024).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #90 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys