Namewise

Benjamin vs Graeme

Benjamin and Graemecompared 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.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 1975, Benjamin was ranked #28 and Graeme #86 among boys in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1972, Benjamin was ranked #32 and Graeme #96 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2001, Benjamin was ranked #46 and Graeme #280 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2023, Benjamin was ranked #53 and Graeme #4107 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2013, Benjamin was ranked #68 and Graeme #711 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Benjamin and Graeme over time

Benjamin and Graeme appear together in 2 published lists, across 49 years of shared records. Benjamin held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Graeme in 0.

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

Graeme reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 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 Graeme were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 34 years, from 1968 to 2013, ending at #68 and #711.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys34 shared years, 19682013

    Benjamin held the stronger position in 32 of those years, Graeme in 2.

    Highest recorded here: Benjamin #57 in 2004, Graeme #152 in 1992.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Benjamin #68, Graeme #711.

  • England and Wales · Boys15 shared years, 19962023

    Benjamin held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Graeme in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Benjamin #6 in 2002, Graeme #755 in 1996.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Benjamin #53, Graeme #4107.

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

Side-by-side comparison of Benjamin, Graeme
FieldBenjaminGraeme
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
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).Not yet recorded
OriginBiblical HebrewNot yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈbɛndʒəmɪn/Not yet recorded
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, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #46 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #4107 (2023)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10088/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Benjamin has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Graeme does not have one recorded yet.
  • Benjamin has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Graeme.
  • A meaning is recorded for Benjamin; Graeme doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, 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 #46 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Graeme

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #33 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–1975

    Highest recorded position: #18 among boys in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1975).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2023

    Most recently recorded at #4107 among boys in England and Wales, in 2023.

    England and Wales · Boys