Benjamin vs Mark
Benjamin and Markcompared 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 2001, Benjamin was ranked #10 and Mark #90 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2000, Benjamin was ranked #10 and Mark #89 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #48 and Mark #286 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #61 and Mark #277 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #76 and Mark #177 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #78 and Mark #169 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #83 and Mark #99 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Benjamin and Mark over time
Benjamin and Mark appear together in 6 published lists, across 245 years of shared records. Benjamin held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Mark 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.
Mark 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 took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Boys, Benjamin moved into the top 50 at #44 in 2008 as Mark fell out of it to #59, having been #48 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1976, Benjamin moved ahead of Mark in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #14 and #8 the year before became #7 and #8.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Benjamin and Mark changed places 5 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #76 and #177.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Benjamin and Mark averaged 31.3 places apart, ending at #10 and #90.
- Longest-running competitions
Benjamin and Mark were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 35 years, from 1965 to 2001, ending at #10 and #90.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Mark in 51.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #50 in 2020, Mark #7 in 1974.
The order changed in 2018: Benjamin moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #69 and #60; by 2018 that had become #56 and #83.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #83, Mark #99.
Norway · Boys61 shared years, 1950–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 53 of those years, Mark in 8.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #13 in 2016, Mark #211 in 1970.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #48, Mark #286.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys35 shared years, 1965–2001
Benjamin held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Mark in 9.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #5 in 1977, Mark #3 in 1968.
The order changed in 1976: Benjamin moved ahead. In 1975 they stood at #14 and #8; by 1976 that had become #7 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2001: Benjamin #10, Mark #90.
New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1970–2000
Benjamin held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Mark in 14.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #6 in 1995, Mark #2 in 1974.
The order changed in 1984: Benjamin moved ahead. In 1983 they stood at #11 and #10; by 1984 that had become #10 and #17.
Most recent shared year, 2000: Benjamin #10, Mark #89.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Benjamin held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Mark in 0.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #6 in 2002, Mark #55 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #61, Mark #277.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Benjamin held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Mark in 7.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #22 in 2002, Mark #12 in 1999.
The order changed in 2008: Benjamin moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #56 and #48; by 2008 that had become #44 and #59.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #76, Mark #177.
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 | Mark |
|---|---|---|
| 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). | A form of the Latin name Marcus used in several languages. Saint Mark authored the second Gospel and is patron saint of Venice. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Latin |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛndʒəmɪn/ | /ˈmɑɹk/ |
| 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 #99 (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
- Benjamin is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while Mark is recorded with a Latin origin.
- Benjamin has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Mark.
- Benjamin's recorded meaning differs from Mark'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
Mark
Popularity journey
First recorded1950
First recorded at #362 among boys in Norway in 1950 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2001
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1960 (recorded 1952–2001).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #286 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys