Benjamin vs John
Benjamin and Johncompared 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 John #29 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2019, Benjamin was ranked #35 and John #97 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2021, Benjamin was ranked #43 and John #86 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #48 and John #161 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #61 and John #164 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #76 and John #67 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #78 and John #78 among boys in Scotland.
Benjamin and John over time
Benjamin and John appear together in 6 published lists, across 283 years of shared records. Benjamin held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, John in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
John reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 6 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1975, Benjamin moved ahead of John in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #18 and #15 the year before became #14 and #15.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Benjamin and John changed places 6 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #76 and #67.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 51 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Benjamin and John averaged 37.8 places apart, ending at #35 and #97.
- Longest-running competitions
Benjamin and John were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 51 years, from 1965 to 2019, ending at #35 and #97.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, John in 62.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #50 in 2020, John #1 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #83, John #29.
Norway · Boys61 shared years, 1950–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 32 of those years, John in 29.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #13 in 2016, John #16 in 1950.
The order changed in 1994: Benjamin moved ahead. In 1993 they stood at #57 and #56; by 1994 that had become #38 and #57.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #48, John #161.
New Zealand · Boys52 shared years, 1970–2021
Benjamin held the stronger position in 43 of those years, John in 9.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #3 in 2003, John #11 in 1970.
The order changed in 1979: Benjamin moved ahead. In 1978 they stood at #14 and #13; by 1979 that had become #13 and #16.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Benjamin #43, John #86.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys51 shared years, 1965–2019
Benjamin held the stronger position in 43 of those years, John in 8.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #5 in 1977, John #5 in 1965.
The order changed in 1975: Benjamin moved ahead. In 1974 they stood at #18 and #15; by 1975 that had become #14 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 2019: Benjamin #35, John #97.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Benjamin held the stronger position in 29 of those years, John in 0.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #6 in 2002, John #46 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #61, John #164.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Benjamin held the stronger position in 4 of those years, John in 22.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #22 in 2002, John #17 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #76, John #67.
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 | John |
|---|---|---|
| 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). | From Hebrew Yochanan, 'Yahweh is gracious', via Greek Ioannes and Latin Iohannes. One of the most widespread names in Christian Europe, associated with both John the Baptist and the apostle John. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Biblical Hebrew |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛndʒəmɪn/ | /ˈjɔn/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| 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 #29 (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 | medium |
What the data shows
- Both Benjamin and John share a recorded Biblical Hebrew origin.
- Benjamin has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for John.
- Benjamin's recorded meaning differs from John's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
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
John
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #20 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2019
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2019).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #161 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys