Ben vs Nathan
Ben and Nathancompared 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 Nathan #27 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Ben was ranked #40 and Nathan #71 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2011, Ben was ranked #79 and Nathan #45 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #121 and Nathan #62 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Nathan #88 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #125 and Nathan #118 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Ben was ranked #355 and Nathan #303 among boys in Norway.
Ben and Nathan over time
Ben and Nathan appear together in 6 published lists, across 184 years of shared records. Nathan held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ben in 2.
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.
Nathan reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 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 2015, Ben moved ahead of Nathan in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #30 and #29 the year before became #29 and #32.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ben and Nathan changed places 6 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #125 and #118.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 26 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Ben and Nathan averaged 52.4 places apart, ending at #99 and #27.
- Longest-running competitions
Ben and Nathan were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 31 years, from 1981 to 2011, ending at #79 and #45.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Ben #21 in 2002, Nathan #24 in 2002.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #34 and #27 in England and Wales · Boys, 7 places apart; by 2024 they were #509 and #88.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1978–2025
Ben held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Nathan in 19.
Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Nathan #26 in 1999.
The order changed in 2015: Ben moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #30 and #29; by 2015 that had become #29 and #32.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #40, Nathan #71.
New Zealand · Boys31 shared years, 1981–2011
Ben held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Nathan in 31.
Highest recorded here: Ben #38 in 2002, Nathan #14 in 1995.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2011: Ben #79, Nathan #45.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Nathan in 25.
Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Nathan #24 in 2002.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Nathan #88.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Nathan in 8.
Highest recorded here: Ben #6 in 2004, Nathan #15 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #125, Nathan #118.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys26 shared years, 1976–2004
Ben held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Nathan in 26.
Highest recorded here: Ben #41 in 1981, Nathan #10 in 1981.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Ben #99, Nathan #27.
Norway · Boys23 shared years, 1982–2023
Ben held the stronger position in 8 of those years, Nathan in 15.
Highest recorded here: Ben #348 in 2004, Nathan #236 in 2017.
The order changed in 2006: Nathan moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #348 and #459; by 2006 that had become #453 and #319.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ben #355, Nathan #303.
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 | Nathan |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Commonly interpreted as 'he gave' or 'he has given'. |
| Origin | Hebrew/Germanic, short form | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛn/ | /ˈneɪθən/ |
| 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, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #40 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #71 (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 Nathan is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Ben has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Nathan.
- Ben's recorded meaning differs from Nathan'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
Nathan
Popularity journey
First recorded1968
First recorded at #267 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1968 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1969–2018
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1981 (recorded 1969–2018).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #344 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys