Benjamin vs Gavan

Benjamin and Gavancompared 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.

England and Wales · Boys
In 2005, Benjamin was ranked #11 and Gavan #2754 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2006, Benjamin was ranked #68 and Gavan #596 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Benjamin and Gavan over time

Benjamin and Gavan appear together in 1 published list, across 31 years of shared records. Benjamin held the stronger position in more years in 1 of them, Gavan in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Gavan 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.

Longest-running competitions
Benjamin and Gavan were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 31 years, from 1966 to 2006, ending at #68 and #596.

List by list

Republic of Ireland · Boys31 shared years, 1966–2006
Benjamin held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Gavan in 2.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #68 in 2006, Gavan #182 in 1973.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2006: Benjamin #68, Gavan #596.

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.

Benjamin vs Graham
In 1964 they stood at #139 and #129 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 10 places apart; by 2023 they were #71 and #770.
Benjamin · Graham · 54 shared years, 1964–2023 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2023 Republic of Ireland ranking
Benjamin vs Ross
In 1997 they stood at #37 and #30 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 7 places apart; by 2023 they were #73 and #395.
Benjamin · Ross · 27 shared years, 1997–2023 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2023 Northern Ireland ranking
Benjamin vs Justin
In 1964 they stood at #139 and #139 in Republic of Ireland · Boys, 0 places apart; by 2025 they were #83 and #402.
Benjamin · Justin · 62 shared years, 1964–2025 · Started together, ended far apart
See the 2025 Republic of Ireland ranking
Benjamin vs Einar
Over 61 shared years in Norway · Boys, Benjamin rose about as far as Einar fell — from #345 and #27 in 1950 to #48 and #57 in 2025.
Benjamin · Einar · 61 shared years, 1950–2025 · Mirrored each other
See the 2025 Norway ranking

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Benjamin, Gavan
Field	Benjamin	Gavan
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-ENW, IE
Most recent popularity observation	New South Wales, Australia · Boys #46 (2025)	Republic of Ireland · Boys #596 (2006)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)	90/100	Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)	76/100	94/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)	100/100	60/100
Data Confidence	medium	medium

What the data shows

Benjamin has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Gavan does not have one recorded yet.
Benjamin has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Gavan.
A meaning is recorded for Benjamin; Gavan doesn't have one written yet.
Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, 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

Gavan

Popularity journey

First recorded1966
First recorded at #199 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1966–2006
Highest recorded position: #182 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1973 (recorded 1966–2006).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2006
Most recently recorded at #596 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2006.
Republic of Ireland · Boys