Ben vs Mark
Ben and Markcompared 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 Mark #99 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2000, Ben was ranked #64 and Mark #89 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1998, Ben was ranked #91 and Mark #71 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #121 and Mark #169 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #125 and Mark #177 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Mark #277 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Ben was ranked #355 and Mark #371 among boys in Norway.
Ben and Mark over time
Ben and Mark appear together in 6 published lists, across 211 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Mark reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 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 1997, Ben moved ahead of Mark in New Zealand · Boys — #90 and #70 the year before became #63 and #75.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ben and Mark changed places 21 times in Norway · Boys between 1950 and 2023, ending at #355 and #371.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Ben and Mark averaged 37.0 places apart, ending at #91 and #71.
- Longest-running competitions
Ben and Mark were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 65 years, from 1950 to 2023, ending at #355 and #371.
List by list
Norway · Boys65 shared years, 1950–2023
Ben held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Mark in 44.
Highest recorded here: Ben #233 in 1965, Mark #211 in 1970.
The order changed in 2023: Ben moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #440 and #316; by 2023 that had become #355 and #371.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ben #355, Mark #371.
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1978–2025
Ben held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Mark in 23.
Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Mark #7 in 1978.
The order changed in 2002: Ben moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #27 and #16; by 2002 that had become #19 and #22.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #40, Mark #99.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Mark in 7.
Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Mark #55 in 1996.
The order changed in 2018: Mark moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #234 and #247; by 2018 that had become #274 and #253.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Mark #277.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Mark in 4.
Highest recorded here: Ben #6 in 2004, Mark #12 in 1999.
The order changed in 2002: Ben moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #21 and #19; by 2002 that had become #8 and #24.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #125, Mark #177.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys23 shared years, 1976–1998
Ben held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mark in 23.
Highest recorded here: Ben #41 in 1981, Mark #7 in 1977.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Ben #91, Mark #71.
New Zealand · Boys19 shared years, 1981–2000
Ben held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Mark in 16.
Highest recorded here: Ben #56 in 1990, Mark #10 in 1982.
The order changed in 1997: Ben moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #90 and #70; by 1997 that had become #63 and #75.
Most recent shared year, 2000: Ben #64, Mark #89.
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 | Mark |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | A form of the Latin name Marcus used in several languages. Saint Mark authored the second Gospel and is patron saint of Venice. |
| Origin | Hebrew/Germanic, short form | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛn/ | /ˈmɑɹk/ |
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #40 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #99 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| 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 is recorded with a Hebrew/Germanic, short form origin, while Mark is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Ben and Mark both have 1 syllable.
- Ben's recorded meaning differs from Mark'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
Mark
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #362 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2001
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1960 (recorded 1952–2001).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #286 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys