Ben
Say it: BEN/bɛn/
BoyMeans a short form of Benjamin or Benedict3 letters1 syllable
#40
in Ireland (2025)
#41 with spellings combined
121
babies in 2025
#14
best rank (2005)
7,745
babies since 1978
Down 12
10-year rank change
Ben through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 121 | #41 |
| 2024 | 132 | #43 |
| 2023 | 147 | #36 |
| 2022 | 149 | #40 |
| 2021 | 185 | #32 |
| 2020 | 171 | #32 |
| 2019 | 217 | #29 |
| 2018 | 234 | #30 |
| 2017 | 204 | #32 |
| 2016 | 250 | #28 |
| 2015 | 265 | #29 |
| 2014 | 252 | #30 |
| 2013 | 253 | #29 |
| 2012 | 232 | #34 |
| 2011 | 294 | #28 |
| 2010 | 305 | #28 |
| 2009 | 324 | #26 |
| 2008 | 349 | #24 |
| 2007 | 336 | #27 |
| 2006 | 385 | #20 |
| 2005 | 401 | #14 |
| 2004 | 399 | #17 |
| 2003 | 348 | #18 |
| 2002 | 345 | #19 |
| 2001 | 258 | #27 |
| 2000 | 234 | #30 |
| 1999 | 196 | #38 |
| 1998 | 137 | #48 |
| 1997 | 130 | #59 |
| 1996 | 94 | #74 |
| 1995 | 54 | #100 |
| 1994 | 54 | #99 |
| 1993 | 47 | #112 |
| 1992 | 41 | #118 |
| 1991 | 47 | #105 |
| 1990 | 23 | #152 |
| 1989 | 25 | #143 |
| 1988 | 19 | #152 |
| 1987 | 20 | #152 |
| 1986 | 17 | #162 |
| 1985 | 11 | #185 |
| 1984 | 13 | #181 |
| 1983 | 7 | #226 |
| 1982 | 5 | #268 |
| 1980 | 4 | #288 |
| 1979 | 7 | #245 |
| 1978 | 4 | #283 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Ben mean?
A short form of Benjamin or Benedict
English, a short form of Benjamin or, less often, Benedict.
Say it right
BEN
The story of Ben
Ben is a short form of Benjamin and, less often, of Benedict, and it has long been given as a name in its own right. Benjamin is a Hebrew name, borne in the Bible by the youngest son of Jacob. Benedict comes from the Latin for “blessed”.
In Ireland Ben was first recorded in 1978. It rose through the 1990s and reached number 14 in 2005 with 401 babies. Benjamin is counted by the CSO as a separate name.
Ben was even more popular in Northern Ireland, where it reached 6th place in 2004. It has fallen further there since, ranking 149th in 2025.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Ben (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Ben
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby Names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Ben | 121 | 7,745 |
In Northern Ireland
#149 in 2025 with 15 babies. Best rank #6 (2004); 2,907 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.