Ben vs Robert
Ben and Robertcompared 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 Robert #104 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2011, Ben was ranked #79 and Robert #88 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2003, Ben was ranked #80 and Robert #95 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #121 and Robert #80 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #125 and Robert #93 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Robert #151 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Ben was ranked #355 and Robert #392 among boys in Norway.
Ben and Robert over time
Ben and Robert appear together in 6 published lists, across 224 years of shared records. Robert held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Ben in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Robert 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 2002, Ben moved ahead of Robert in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #91 and #69 the year before became #82 and #95.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 25 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Ben and Robert averaged 36.4 places apart, ending at #80 and #95.
- Longest-running competitions
Ben and Robert were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 30 years, from 1981 to 2011, ending at #79 and #88.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #34 and #30 in England and Wales · Boys, 4 places apart; by 2024 they were #509 and #151.
List by list
Norway · Boys65 shared years, 1950–2023
Ben held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Robert in 64.
Highest recorded here: Ben #233 in 1965, Robert #25 in 1974.
The order changed in 2023: Ben moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #440 and #394; by 2023 that had become #355 and #392.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ben #355, Robert #392.
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1978–2025
Ben held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Robert in 21.
Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Robert #12 in 1978.
The order changed in 2000: Ben moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #38 and #27; by 2000 that had become #30 and #37.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #40, Robert #104.
New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1981–2011
Ben held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Robert in 20.
Highest recorded here: Ben #38 in 2002, Robert #15 in 1989.
The order changed in 2011: Ben moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #99 and #91; by 2011 that had become #79 and #88.
Most recent shared year, 2011: Ben #79, Robert #88.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Robert in 15.
Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Robert #30 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Robert #151.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Robert in 3.
Highest recorded here: Ben #6 in 2004, Robert #35 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #125, Robert #93.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys25 shared years, 1976–2003
Ben held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Robert in 23.
Highest recorded here: Ben #41 in 1981, Robert #14 in 1976.
The order changed in 2002: Ben moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #91 and #69; by 2002 that had become #82 and #95.
Most recent shared year, 2003: Ben #80, Robert #95.
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 | Robert |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | From Germanic Hrodebert, combining 'hruod' (fame) with 'beraht' (bright) — 'bright fame'. Introduced to Britain by the Normans, later borne by Robert the Bruce. |
| Origin | Hebrew/Germanic, short form | Germanic |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛn/ | /ˈɹɑb.əɹt/ |
| 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 #104 (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 Robert is recorded with a Germanic origin.
- Ben has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Robert.
- Ben's recorded meaning differs from Robert'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
Robert
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2003
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2003).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #363 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys