Namewise

Benjamin vs Henry

Benjamin and Henrycompared 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #46 and Henry #6 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Benjamin was ranked #39 and Henry #8 among boys in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #61 and Henry #13 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #76 and Henry #45 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Norway · Boys

    In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #48 and Henry #50 among boys in Norway.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #83 and Henry #76 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #78 and Henry #95 among boys in Scotland.

Benjamin and Henry over time

Benjamin and Henry appear together in 6 published lists, across 249 years of shared records. Benjamin held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Henry in 0.

The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Benjamin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Henry in 1. 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 2012, Henry moved ahead of Benjamin in England and Wales · Boys — #25 and #28 the year before became #32 and #24.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Benjamin and Henry changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #76 and #45.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 30 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Benjamin and Henry averaged 29.2 places apart, ending at #61 and #13.

  • Mirrored each other

    Over 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Henry rose about as far as Benjamin fell — from #37 and #160 in 1997 to #76 and #45 in 2024.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Benjamin and Henry were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #61 and #13.

List by list

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

    Benjamin held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Henry in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Benjamin #50 in 2020, Henry #60 in 1964.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #83, Henry #76.

  • Norway · Boys61 shared years, 1950–2025

    Benjamin held the stronger position in 55 of those years, Henry in 6.

    Highest recorded here: Benjamin #13 in 2016, Henry #50 in 2025.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #48, Henry #50.

  • New Zealand · Boys37 shared years, 1986–2023

    Benjamin held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Henry in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Benjamin #3 in 2003, Henry #8 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2021: Henry moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #22 and #30; by 2021 that had become #43 and #29.

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Benjamin #39, Henry #8.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys31 shared years, 1993–2025

    Benjamin held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Henry in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Benjamin #7 in 1995, Henry #4 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2017: Henry moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #17 and #18; by 2017 that had become #34 and #6.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #46, Henry #6.

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

    Benjamin held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Henry in 14.

    Highest recorded here: Benjamin #6 in 2002, Henry #10 in 2021.

    The order changed in 2012: Henry moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #25 and #28; by 2012 that had become #32 and #24.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #61, Henry #13.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024

    Benjamin held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Henry in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Benjamin #22 in 2002, Henry #22 in 2023.

    The order changed in 2020: Henry moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #57 and #76; by 2020 that had become #71 and #54.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #76, Henry #45.

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 Henry

Pairs where Henry 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 — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia 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, Henry
FieldBenjaminHenry
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).Home ruler, estate ruler.
OriginBiblical HebrewGermanic, via Old French Henri
Pronunciation/ˈbɛndʒəmɪn//ˈhɛnɹi/
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedHarry, Hal, Heinrich, Henri
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)New South Wales, Australia · Boys #6 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)76/10094/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediumhigh

What the data shows

  • Benjamin is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Henry is recorded with a Germanic, via Old French Henri origin.
  • Benjamin has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Henry.
  • Benjamin's recorded meaning differs from Henry'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 Benjamin a "medium" Data Confidence level and Henry a "high" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

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

Henry

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #102 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 recorded1993–2025

    Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2023 (recorded 1993–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #13 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys