Ben vs Simon
Ben and Simoncompared 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 Simon #244 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1997, Ben was ranked #63 and Simon #83 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Ben was ranked #82 and Simon #311 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1997, Ben was ranked #91 and Simon #94 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, Ben was ranked #355 and Simon #120 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #121 and Simon #535 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Simon #524 among boys in England and Wales.
Ben and Simon over time
Ben and Simon appear together in 6 published lists, across 202 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.
Simon 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 1997, Ben moved ahead of Simon in New Zealand · Boys — #90 and #73 the year before became #63 and #83.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 22 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Ben and Simon averaged 19.4 places apart, ending at #91 and #94.
- Longest-running competitions
Ben and Simon were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 64 years, from 1950 to 2023, ending at #355 and #120.
List by list
Norway · Boys64 shared years, 1950–2023
Ben held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Simon in 62.
Highest recorded here: Ben #233 in 1965, Simon #35 in 1992.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ben #355, Simon #120.
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1978–2025
Ben held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Simon in 17.
Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Simon #46 in 1987.
The order changed in 1996: Ben moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #100 and #85; by 1996 that had become #74 and #97.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #40, Simon #244.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 28 of those years, Simon in 1.
Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Simon #87 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Simon #524.
Northern Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 1997–2022
Ben held the stronger position in 23 of those years, Simon in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ben #6 in 2004, Simon #95 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Ben #82, Simon #311.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys22 shared years, 1976–1997
Ben held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Simon in 19.
Highest recorded here: Ben #41 in 1981, Simon #26 in 1976.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Ben #91, Simon #94.
New Zealand · Boys17 shared years, 1981–1997
Ben held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Simon in 16.
Highest recorded here: Ben #56 in 1990, Simon #21 in 1981.
The order changed in 1997: Ben moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #90 and #73; by 1997 that had become #63 and #83.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Ben #63, Simon #83.
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 | Simon |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| 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. | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Hebrew/Germanic, short form | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛn/ | Not yet recorded |
| 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) | Norway · Boys #159 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| 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 has a recorded origin (Hebrew/Germanic, short form); Simon does not have one recorded yet.
- Ben has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Simon.
- A meaning is recorded for Ben; Simon doesn't have one written yet.
- 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
Simon
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #266 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1997
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New Zealand, in 1976 (recorded 1954–1997).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #159 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys