Benjamin vs Feargal
Benjamin and Feargalcompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 1998, Benjamin was ranked #43 and Feargal #240 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2000, Benjamin was ranked #67 and Feargal #312 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Benjamin and Feargal over time
Benjamin and Feargal appear together in 1 published list, across 33 years of shared records. Benjamin held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Feargal in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Feargal reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 1 of those lists, and Benjamin 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.
- Mirrored each other
Over 33 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Benjamin rose about as far as Feargal fell — from #139 and #191 in 1964 to #67 and #312 in 2000.
- Longest-running competitions
Benjamin and Feargal were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 33 years, from 1964 to 2000, ending at #67 and #312.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys33 shared years, 1964–2000
Benjamin held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Feargal in 3.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #67 in 2000, Feargal #159 in 1971.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2000: Benjamin #67, Feargal #312.
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 | Benjamin | Feargal |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Official statistical record (evidence-only) |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly 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). | Not yet recorded |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Not yet recorded |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛndʒəmɪn/ | Not yet recorded |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | GB-NIR, IE |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #46 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #312 (2000) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 60/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Benjamin has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Feargal does not have one recorded yet.
- Benjamin has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Feargal.
- A meaning is recorded for Benjamin; Feargal doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-NIR, IE.
How each name got here
Benjamin
Popularity journey
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
Highest recorded1970–2023
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 2003 (recorded 1970–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #46 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Feargal
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #191 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2000
Highest recorded position: #159 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1971 (recorded 1964–2000).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2000
Most recently recorded at #312 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2000.
Republic of Ireland · Boys