Where does the name Benjamin come from?

Benjamin is a boy name of Hebrew origin.

Is Benjamin a boy or a girl name?

Benjamin is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Benjamin are girls and 100% are boys.

How popular is the name Benjamin in 2023?

Benjamin ranks #11349 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1989 with 15,788 babies.

How do you pronounce Benjamin?

Benjamin is pronounced BEN-ja-min (3 syllables).

What are common spellings of Benjamin?

Benjamin is also written as Ben, Benny, Benjamín.

A name from Hebrew · Boy

Benjamin

Son of the right hand; son of the south. Youngest son of Jacob in the Bible.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

807,203 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

10,232 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

BSon of the right hand; son of the south. Youngest son of Jacob in the Bible.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Benjamin".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Ben Most common Benny Benjamín

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Benjamin.

B
Benjamin Franklin

Quick answers

People often ask about Benjamin.

What does the name Benjamin mean?: Benjamin means son of the right hand; son of the south. Youngest son of Jacob in the Bible.
Where does the name Benjamin come from?: Benjamin is a boy name of Hebrew origin.
Is Benjamin a boy or a girl name?: Benjamin is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Benjamin are girls and 100% are boys.
How popular is the name Benjamin in 2023?: Benjamin ranks #11349 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1989 with 15,788 babies.
How do you pronounce Benjamin?: Benjamin is pronounced BEN-ja-min (3 syllables).
What are common spellings of Benjamin?: Benjamin is also written as Ben, Benny, Benjamín.

Similar names

If you love Benjamin, also consider…

James

Boy ·Hebrew

Supplanter; one who follows

Michael

#16

Boy ·Hebrew

Who is like God? A rhetorical name honoring the archangel

Mary

#133

Girl ·Hebrew

Bitter; beloved; wished-for child

God is my oath; consecrated to God

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.