Benjamin vs Lucas
Benjamin and Lucascompared 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 Lucas #14 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Benjamin was ranked #39 and Lucas #16 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #78 and Lucas #23 among boys in Scotland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #48 and Lucas #24 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #61 and Lucas #25 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #76 and Lucas #30 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #83 and Lucas #64 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Benjamin and Lucas over time
Benjamin and Lucas appear together in 6 published lists, across 196 years of shared records. Benjamin held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Lucas in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 6 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 4 of those lists, Lucas 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 2015, Lucas moved ahead of Benjamin in England and Wales · Boys — #28 and #30 the year before became #30 and #27.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Benjamin and Lucas changed places 5 times in England and Wales · Boys between 1996 and 2024, ending at #61 and #25.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Benjamin and Lucas averaged 37.9 places apart, ending at #61 and #25.
- Mirrored each other
Over 28 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Lucas rose about as far as Benjamin fell — from #37 and #192 in 1997 to #76 and #30 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Benjamin and Lucas were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 36 years, from 1980 to 2025, ending at #46 and #14.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Benjamin #50 in 2020, Lucas #55 in 2018.
List by list
Norway · Boys44 shared years, 1976–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 33 of those years, Lucas in 11.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #13 in 2016, Lucas #12 in 2012.
The order changed in 2022: Lucas moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #29 and #31; by 2022 that had become #29 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #48, Lucas #24.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 1980–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Lucas in 17.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #6 in 1980, Lucas #2 in 2011.
The order changed in 2009: Lucas moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #10 and #21; by 2009 that had become #14 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #46, Lucas #14.
Republic of Ireland · Boys36 shared years, 1979–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 27 of those years, Lucas in 8.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #50 in 2020, Lucas #55 in 2018.
The order changed in 2021: Lucas moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #50 and #68; by 2021 that had become #66 and #61.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #83, Lucas #64.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Benjamin held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Lucas in 13.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #6 in 2002, Lucas #17 in 2009.
The order changed in 2015: Lucas moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #28 and #30; by 2015 that had become #30 and #27.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #61, Lucas #25.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Benjamin held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Lucas in 16.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #22 in 2002, Lucas #22 in 2013.
The order changed in 2009: Lucas moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #44 and #54; by 2009 that had become #49 and #23.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #76, Lucas #30.
New Zealand · Boys23 shared years, 2001–2023
Benjamin held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Lucas in 12.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #3 in 2003, Lucas #4 in 2011.
The order changed in 2016: Lucas moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #5 and #14; by 2016 that had become #18 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Benjamin #39, Lucas #16.
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 | Lucas |
|---|---|---|
| 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). | The Latin form of the Greek name Loukas, ultimately linked to the English name Luke. The deeper root meaning is itself disputed — possibly a shortened form of 'from Lucania' (a region of southern Italy), or alternatively derived from the Latin name Lucius. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Latin, via Greek Loukas |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛndʒəmɪn/ | /ˈluːkəs/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| 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) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #14 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Benjamin is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Lucas is recorded with a Latin, via Greek Loukas origin.
- Benjamin has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Lucas.
- Benjamin's recorded meaning differs from Lucas'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
Lucas
Popularity journey
First recorded1976
First recorded at #607 among boys in Norway in 1976 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1980–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2011 (recorded 1980–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #14 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys