Ben vs Stephen
Ben and Stephencompared 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 Stephen #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1997, Ben was ranked #63 and Stephen #95 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1997, Ben was ranked #91 and Stephen #100 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #121 and Stephen #535 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #125 and Stephen #305 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2001, Ben was ranked #405 and Stephen #522 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ben was ranked #509 and Stephen #651 among boys in England and Wales.
Ben and Stephen over time
Ben and Stephen appear together in 6 published lists, across 186 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Stephen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 of those lists, and Ben in none. 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 1996, Ben moved ahead of Stephen in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #92 and #76 the year before became #85 and #89.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ben and Stephen changed places 17 times in Norway · Boys between 1950 and 2001, ending at #405 and #522.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 22 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Ben and Stephen averaged 22.2 places apart, ending at #91 and #100.
- Longest-running competitions
Ben and Stephen were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 43 years, from 1950 to 2001, ending at #405 and #522.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys47 shared years, 1978–2025
Ben held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Stephen in 23.
Highest recorded here: Ben #14 in 2005, Stephen #4 in 1983.
The order changed in 2002: Ben moved ahead. In 2001 they stood at #27 and #26; by 2002 that had become #19 and #33.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ben #40, Stephen #232.
Norway · Boys43 shared years, 1950–2001
Ben held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Stephen in 25.
Highest recorded here: Ben #233 in 1965, Stephen #210 in 1956.
The order changed in 1996: Ben moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #522 and #511; by 1996 that had become #464 and #544.
Most recent shared year, 2001: Ben #405, Stephen #522.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Stephen in 0.
Highest recorded here: Ben #21 in 2002, Stephen #60 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #509, Stephen #651.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ben held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Stephen in 3.
Highest recorded here: Ben #6 in 2004, Stephen #21 in 1998.
The order changed in 2000: Ben moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #30 and #25; by 2000 that had become #20 and #42.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ben #125, Stephen #305.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys22 shared years, 1976–1997
Ben held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Stephen in 20.
Highest recorded here: Ben #41 in 1981, Stephen #20 in 1976.
The order changed in 1996: Ben moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #92 and #76; by 1996 that had become #85 and #89.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Ben #91, Stephen #100.
New Zealand · Boys17 shared years, 1981–1997
Ben held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Stephen in 16.
Highest recorded here: Ben #56 in 1990, Stephen #29 in 1982.
The order changed in 1997: Ben moved ahead. In 1996 they stood at #90 and #87; by 1997 that had become #63 and #95.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Ben #63, Stephen #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 | Stephen |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Greek Stephanos, meaning 'crown, wreath' — literally 'that which surrounds'. Saint Stephen, a deacon stoned to death in the New Testament, is regarded as the first Christian martyr. |
| Origin | Hebrew/Germanic, short form | Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛn/ | /ˈstiː.vən/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Steven, Stefan, Stephan |
| 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 #232 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Ben is recorded with a Hebrew/Germanic, short form origin, while Stephen is recorded with a Greek origin.
- Ben has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Stephen.
- Ben's recorded meaning differs from Stephen's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Ben a "medium" Data Confidence level and Stephen a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.
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
Stephen
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #352 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1997
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1955 (recorded 1952–1997).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #232 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys