Namewise

Benjamin vs Daniel

Benjamin and Danielcompared 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, Benjamin was ranked #83 and Daniel #13 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #76 and Daniel #37 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Benjamin was ranked #39 and Daniel #53 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #46 and Daniel #64 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #48 and Daniel #66 among boys in Norway.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #78 and Daniel #52 among boys in Scotland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #61 and Daniel #62 among boys in England and Wales.

Benjamin and Daniel over time

Benjamin and Daniel appear together in 6 published lists, across 294 years of shared records. Daniel held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Benjamin in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Daniel reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Benjamin in 2. 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 2008, Benjamin moved ahead of Daniel in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #15 and #10 the year before became #10 and #12.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Benjamin and Daniel changed places 7 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1970 and 2023, ending at #39 and #53.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Benjamin and Daniel averaged 6.9 places apart, ending at #61 and #62.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Benjamin and Daniel were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #61 and #62.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Benjamin #5 in 1977, Daniel #2 in 1979.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Benjamin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Daniel in 62.

    Highest recorded here: Benjamin #50 in 2020, Daniel #3 in 2009.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #83, Daniel #13.

  • Norway · Boys61 shared years, 1950–2025

    Benjamin held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Daniel in 51.

    Highest recorded here: Benjamin #13 in 2016, Daniel #3 in 1989.

    The order changed in 2018: Benjamin moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #25 and #23; by 2018 that had become #17 and #32.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #48, Daniel #66.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys59 shared years, 1965–2025

    Benjamin held the stronger position in 18 of those years, Daniel in 41.

    Highest recorded here: Benjamin #5 in 1977, Daniel #2 in 1979.

    The order changed in 2008: Benjamin moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #15 and #10; by 2008 that had become #10 and #12.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #46, Daniel #64.

  • New Zealand · Boys54 shared years, 1970–2023

    Benjamin held the stronger position in 20 of those years, Daniel in 34.

    Highest recorded here: Benjamin #3 in 2003, Daniel #1 in 1980.

    The order changed in 2013: Benjamin moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #15 and #13; by 2013 that had become #14 and #15.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Benjamin #39, Daniel #53.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Benjamin held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Daniel in 23.

    Highest recorded here: Benjamin #6 in 2002, Daniel #2 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #61, Daniel #62.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Benjamin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Daniel in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Benjamin #22 in 2002, Daniel #2 in 2010.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #76, Daniel #37.

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 Benjamin

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

Other comparisons involving Daniel

Pairs where Daniel 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 — closest over the longest run.

All closest over the longest run→

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 Benjamin, Daniel
FieldBenjaminDaniel
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningCommonly interpreted as 'son of the right hand', with the underlying literal sense being 'son of the south' (since 'right' indicated the southerly direction in the biblical east-facing orientation convention).Commonly interpreted as 'God is my judge', referencing the biblical prophet Daniel.
OriginBiblical HebrewBiblical Hebrew
Pronunciation/ˈbɛndʒəmɪn//ˈdænjəl/
Syllables32
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 observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #46 (2025)Republic of Ireland · Boys #13 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Both Benjamin and Daniel share a recorded Biblical Hebrew origin.
  • Benjamin has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Daniel.
  • Benjamin's recorded meaning differs from Daniel'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

Benjamin

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1950

    First recorded at #345 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 recorded1970–2023

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 2003 (recorded 1970–2023).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #61 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

Daniel

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #280 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–2023

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New Zealand, in 1980 (recorded 1954–2023).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #62 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys