Benjamin vs Jack
Benjamin and Jackcompared 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 Jack #2 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Benjamin was ranked #39 and Jack #4 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #76 and Jack #4 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #78 and Jack #7 among boys in Scotland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #46 and Jack #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #61 and Jack #22 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #48 and Jack #432 among boys in Norway.
Benjamin and Jack over time
Benjamin and Jack appear together in 6 published lists, across 244 years of shared records. Jack held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Benjamin in 1.
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.
Jack 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 1995, Jack moved ahead of Benjamin in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #6 and #11 the year before became #7 and #6.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Benjamin and Jack averaged 20.7 places apart, ending at #61 and #22.
- Mirrored each other
Over 58 shared years in Norway · Boys, Benjamin rose about as far as Jack fell — from #345 and #209 in 1950 to #48 and #432 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Benjamin and Jack were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 40 years, from 1986 to 2025, ending at #46 and #10.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Benjamin #3 in 2003, Jack #1 in 2005.
List by list
Norway · Boys58 shared years, 1950–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 51 of those years, Jack in 7.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #13 in 2016, Jack #165 in 1962.
The order changed in 1972: Benjamin moved ahead. In 1971 they stood at #435 and #334; by 1972 that had become #322 and #416.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #48, Jack #432.
Republic of Ireland · Boys53 shared years, 1970–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Jack in 39.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #50 in 2020, Jack #1 in 2000.
The order changed in 1987: Jack moved ahead. In 1986 they stood at #122 and #128; by 1987 that had become #134 and #128.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #83, Jack #2.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys40 shared years, 1986–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 9 of those years, Jack in 31.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #5 in 1988, Jack #1 in 2003.
The order changed in 1995: Jack moved ahead. In 1994 they stood at #6 and #11; by 1995 that had become #7 and #6.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #46, Jack #10.
New Zealand · Boys36 shared years, 1988–2023
Benjamin held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Jack in 25.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #3 in 2003, Jack #1 in 2005.
The order changed in 2012: Jack moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #9 and #10; by 2012 that had become #15 and #1.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Benjamin #39, Jack #4.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Benjamin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jack in 29.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #6 in 2002, Jack #1 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #61, Jack #22.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Benjamin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Jack in 28.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #22 in 2002, Jack #1 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #76, Jack #4.
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 | Jack |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| 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). | God is gracious (via John), though now used as an independent name. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | English, historically a diminutive of John |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛndʒəmɪn/ | /ˈdʒæk/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Jankin |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #46 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #2 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | high |
What the data shows
- Benjamin is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Jack is recorded with a English, historically a diminutive of John origin.
- Benjamin has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Jack.
- Benjamin's recorded meaning differs from Jack'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 Jack 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
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
Jack
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #171 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 1996 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys