Ben vs Mohammed
Ben and Mohammedcompared 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Mohammed #21 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Ben was ranked #40 and Mohammed #468 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Ben was ranked #355 and Mohammed #113 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #121 and Mohammed #117 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #125 and Mohammed #278 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Ben and Mohammed over time
Ben and Mohammed appear together in 4 published lists, across 142 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Ben reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Mohammed 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 2003, Mohammed moved ahead of Ben in England and Wales · Boys — #21 and #22 the year before became #26 and #21.
- Mirrored each other
Over 38 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Ben rose about as far as Mohammed fell — from #288 and #288 in 1980 to #40 and #468 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Ben and Mohammed were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 65 years, from 1950 to 2023, ending at #355 and #113.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #34 and #36 in England and Wales · Boys, 2 places apart; by 2024 they were #509 and #21.
List by list
Norway · Boys65 shared years, 1950–2023
Ben held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Mohammed in 65.
Highest recorded here: Ben #233 in 1965, Mohammed #102 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ben #355, Mohammed #113.
Republic of Ireland · Boys38 shared years, 1980–2025
Ben held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Mohammed in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Mohammed #179 in 1998.
The order changed in 1986: Ben moved ahead. In 1985 they stood at #288 and #288; by 1986 that had become #162 and #256.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #40, Mohammed #468.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Mohammed in 25.
Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Mohammed #16 in 2008.
The order changed in 2003: Mohammed moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #21 and #22; by 2003 that had become #26 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Mohammed #21.
Northern Ireland · Boys10 shared years, 1999–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Mohammed in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ben #6 in 2004, Mohammed #255 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #125, Mohammed #278.
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 | Mohammed |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Alternate transcription of the Arabic محمّد, traditionally interpreted as 'praiseworthy, commendable' — the same underlying name as Muhammad, spelled via a different, independently well-established transliteration. |
| Origin | Hebrew/Germanic, short form | Arabic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛn/ | /mu.ˈħam.mad/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 3 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Muhammad |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #40 (2025) | Norway · Boys #128 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 76/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Ben is recorded with a Hebrew/Germanic, short form origin, while Mohammed is recorded with a Arabic origin.
- Ben has 1 syllable, compared with 3 for Mohammed.
- Ben's recorded meaning differs from Mohammed's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
- The available evidence gives Ben a "medium" Data Confidence level and Mohammed a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
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
Mohammed
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #218 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #16 among boys in England and Wales, in 2008 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #128 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys