Ben vs Lee
Ben and Leecompared 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 Lee #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1985, Ben was ranked #54 and Lee #84 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2018, Ben was ranked #64 and Lee #319 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1987, Ben was ranked #76 and Lee #80 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #121 and Lee #727 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Lee #1235 among boys in England and Wales.
Ben and Lee over time
Ben and Lee appear together in 4 published lists, across 108 years of shared records. Ben held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Lee 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.
Lee reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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 1977, Ben moved ahead of Lee in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #62 and #59 the year before became #53 and #78.
- Longest-running competitions
Ben and Lee were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 47 years, from 1978 to 2025, ending at #40 and #348.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Ben #41 in 1981, Lee #56 in 1980.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #41 and #42 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 1 places apart; by 2018 they were #64 and #319.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1978–2025
Ben held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Lee in 20.
Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Lee #42 in 1998.
The order changed in 1999: Ben moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #48 and #42; by 1999 that had become #38 and #46.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #40, Lee #348.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Lee in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Lee #64 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Lee #1235.
Northern Ireland · Boys22 shared years, 1997–2018
Ben held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Lee in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ben #6 in 2004, Lee #42 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Ben #64, Lee #319.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys10 shared years, 1976–1985
Ben held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Lee in 1.
Highest recorded here: Ben #41 in 1981, Lee #56 in 1980.
The order changed in 1977: Ben moved ahead. In 1976 they stood at #62 and #59; by 1977 that had become #53 and #78.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Ben #54, Lee #84.
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 | Lee |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Hebrew/Germanic, short form | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛn/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| 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) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #348 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ben has a recorded origin (Hebrew/Germanic, short form); Lee does not have one recorded yet.
- Ben and Lee both have 1 syllable.
- A meaning is recorded for Ben; Lee doesn't have one written yet.
- 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
Lee
Popularity journey
First recorded1956
First recorded at #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1956 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2018
Highest recorded position: #42 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1997–2018).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys