Benjamin vs Thomas
Benjamin and Thomascompared 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.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #76 and Thomas #11 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #46 and Thomas #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #83 and Thomas #16 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Benjamin was ranked #39 and Thomas #18 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #78 and Thomas #20 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Benjamin was ranked #61 and Thomas #26 among boys in England and Wales.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Benjamin was ranked #48 and Thomas #106 among boys in Norway.
Benjamin and Thomas over time
Benjamin and Thomas appear together in 6 published lists, across 293 years of shared records. Thomas held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Benjamin in 1.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Thomas 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 2005, Benjamin moved ahead of Thomas in Norway · Boys — #25 and #18 the year before became #17 and #26.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Benjamin and Thomas changed places 8 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1970 and 2023, ending at #39 and #18.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Benjamin and Thomas averaged 17.5 places apart, ending at #61 and #26.
- Longest-running competitions
Benjamin and Thomas were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 59 years, from 1965 to 2025, ending at #46 and #13.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Benjamin #3 in 2003, Thomas #4 in 2001.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 62.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #50 in 2020, Thomas #5 in 1965.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #83, Thomas #16.
Norway · Boys61 shared years, 1950–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Thomas in 40.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #13 in 2016, Thomas #1 in 1974.
The order changed in 2005: Benjamin moved ahead. In 2004 they stood at #25 and #18; by 2005 that had become #17 and #26.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #48, Thomas #106.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys59 shared years, 1965–2025
Benjamin held the stronger position in 25 of those years, Thomas in 34.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #5 in 1977, Thomas #3 in 2000.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Benjamin #46, Thomas #13.
New Zealand · Boys54 shared years, 1970–2023
Benjamin held the stronger position in 39 of those years, Thomas in 15.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #3 in 2003, Thomas #4 in 2001.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Benjamin #39, Thomas #18.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Benjamin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 29.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #6 in 2002, Thomas #2 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #61, Thomas #26.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Benjamin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Thomas in 28.
Highest recorded here: Benjamin #22 in 2002, Thomas #6 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Benjamin #76, Thomas #11.
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 | Thomas |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Greek form of the Aramaic name meaning 'twin'. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Aramaic, via Greek |
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɛndʒəmɪn/ | /ˈtɑməs/ |
| 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 #13 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 88/100 |
| 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 Thomas is recorded with a Aramaic, via Greek origin.
- Benjamin has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Thomas.
- Benjamin's recorded meaning differs from Thomas'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
Thomas
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #177 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 1974 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys