Benjamin vs Lee
Benjamin and Leecompared 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 1985, Benjamin was ranked #8 and Lee #84 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1987, Benjamin was ranked #10 and Lee #80 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #61 and Lee #1235 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2018, Benjamin was ranked #69 and Lee #319 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #78 and Lee #727 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #83 and Lee #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Benjamin and Lee over time
Benjamin and Lee appear together in 5 published lists, across 134 years of shared records. Benjamin held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Lee in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Lee reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Benjamin 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.
- Longest-running competitions
Benjamin and Lee were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 55 years, from 1970 to 2025, ending at #83 and #348.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #37 and #42 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 5 places apart; by 2018 they were #69 and #319.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys55 shared years, 1970–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Lee in 34.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #50 in 2020, Lee #42 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #83, Lee #348.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Benjamin held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Lee in 0.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #6 in 2002, Lee #64 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #61, Lee #1235.
Northern Ireland · Boys22 shared years, 1997–2018
Benjamin held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Lee in 0.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #22 in 2002, Lee #42 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2018: Benjamin #69, Lee #319.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys16 shared years, 1968–1985
Benjamin held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Lee in 0.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #5 in 1977, Lee #56 in 1980.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Benjamin #8, Lee #84.
New Zealand · Boys12 shared years, 1970–1987
Benjamin held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Lee in 0.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #8 in 1985, Lee #67 in 1977.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1987: Benjamin #10, Lee #80.
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 | Lee |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #46 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #348 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | Not yet recorded |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Benjamin has a recorded origin (Biblical Hebrew); Lee does not have one recorded yet.
- Benjamin has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Lee.
- A meaning is recorded for Benjamin; Lee doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, 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
Lee
Popularity journey
First recorded1956
First recorded at #94 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1956 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Girls
Highest recorded1997–2018
Highest recorded position: #42 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1997–2018).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #348 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys