Namewise

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 2025, Ben was ranked #487 and Nathan #99 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 185 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 England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #487 and #99.

  • 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 2025 they were #487 and #99.

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 · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Ben held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Nathan in 26.

    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, 2025: Ben #487, Nathan #99.

  • 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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Ben

Pairs where Ben shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Nathan

Pairs where Nathan shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — started together, ended far apart.

All started together, ended far apart→

Other pairs from England and Wales lists

Pairs measured inside England and Wales's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

England and Wales overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Ben, Nathan
FieldBenNathan
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningA 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'.
OriginHebrew/Germanic, short formBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈbɛn//ˈneɪθən/
Syllables12
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #40 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #71 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

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

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1997–2024

    Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 2004 (recorded 1997–2024).

    Northern Ireland · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #487 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Nathan

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1969–2018

    Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1981 (recorded 1969–2018).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #99 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys