Ben vs Matt
Ben and Mattcompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2017, Ben was ranked #38 and Matt #415 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Ben was ranked #40 and Matt #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Matt #5119 among boys in England and Wales.
Ben and Matt over time
Ben and Matt appear together in 3 published lists, across 61 years of shared records. Ben held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Matt in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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.
- Mirrored each other
Over 25 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Ben rose about as far as Matt fell — from #99 and #342 in 1994 to #40 and #676 in 2025.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Ben #14 in 2005, Matt #268 in 2005.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Matt in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Matt #362 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Matt #5119.
Republic of Ireland · Boys25 shared years, 1994–2025
Ben held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Matt in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Matt #268 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #40, Matt #676.
Northern Ireland · Boys8 shared years, 2005–2017
Ben held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Matt in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ben #9 in 2005, Matt #236 in 2007.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Ben #38, Matt #415.
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 | Matt |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #40 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (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); Matt does not have one recorded yet.
- Ben and Matt both have 1 syllable.
- A meaning is recorded for Ben; Matt doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE.
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
Matt
Popularity journey
First recorded1994
First recorded at #342 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1994 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded2005–2017
Highest recorded position: #236 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2007 (recorded 2005–2017).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys