Ben vs Scott
Ben and Scottcompared 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 Zealand · Boys
In 2002, Ben was ranked #38 and Scott #96 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Ben was ranked #40 and Scott #198 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1998, Ben was ranked #91 and Scott #87 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #121 and Scott #199 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #125 and Scott #239 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Ben was ranked #355 and Scott #348 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Scott #1025 among boys in England and Wales.
Ben and Scott over time
Ben and Scott appear together in 6 published lists, across 193 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Scott reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 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 1999, Ben moved ahead of Scott in New Zealand · Boys — #63 and #47 the year before became #53 and #72.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ben and Scott changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1964 and 2023, ending at #355 and #348.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 23 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Ben and Scott averaged 36.8 places apart, ending at #91 and #87.
- Longest-running competitions
Ben and Scott were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 45 years, from 1964 to 2023, ending at #355 and #348.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Ben #6 in 2004, Scott #36 in 2004.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1978–2025
Ben held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Scott in 11.
Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Scott #42 in 2004.
The order changed in 1992: Ben moved ahead. In 1991 they stood at #105 and #105; by 1992 that had become #118 and #121.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #40, Scott #198.
Norway · Boys45 shared years, 1964–2023
Ben held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Scott in 28.
Highest recorded here: Ben #267 in 1989, Scott #228 in 2009.
The order changed in 1995: Scott moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #361 and #461; by 1995 that had become #522 and #352.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ben #355, Scott #348.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Scott in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Scott #48 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Scott #1025.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Scott in 1.
Highest recorded here: Ben #6 in 2004, Scott #36 in 2004.
The order changed in 1998: Ben moved ahead. In 1997 they stood at #41 and #38; by 1998 that had become #39 and #40.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #125, Scott #239.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys23 shared years, 1976–1998
Ben held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Scott in 23.
Highest recorded here: Ben #41 in 1981, Scott #12 in 1976.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Ben #91, Scott #87.
New Zealand · Boys22 shared years, 1981–2002
Ben held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Scott in 18.
Highest recorded here: Ben #38 in 2002, Scott #15 in 1981.
The order changed in 1999: Ben moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #63 and #47; by 1999 that had become #53 and #72.
Most recent shared year, 2002: Ben #38, Scott #96.
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 | Scott |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | An English/Scottish surname referring to a person from Scotland or a Scottish Gaelic speaker, from Latin 'Scoti' ('Gael, Gaelic speaker') — the ultimate origin of that Latin term is itself uncertain. |
| Origin | Hebrew/Germanic, short form | English/Scottish (surname origin) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛn/ | /ˈskɑt/ |
| 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 | 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 #198 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| 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 Scott is recorded with a English/Scottish (surname origin) origin.
- Ben and Scott both have 1 syllable.
- Ben's recorded meaning differs from Scott'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
Scott
Popularity journey
First recorded1957
First recorded at #75 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1957 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1957–1999
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1973 (recorded 1957–1999).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #365 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys