Ben
Meaningson of the right hand · English form of Benjamin
- US rank
- #843
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #43 in 1889
292 babies were named Ben in the US in 2025. It has dropped 75 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Ben you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Ben
Ben Affleck
American film actor, director and screenwriter (born 1972)
Choose Ben and your child shares a first name with Ben Affleck, an American film actor, director and screenwriter. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Ben, like who?” Ben Affleck's Wikipedia article is available in 112 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Ben Affleck on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: LucaFazPhoto, CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 5,848 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Ben, 292 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Ben would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryBen has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Bens, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1889, when it ranked #43. Today it's #843, so it could be due a comeback.
- TrendBen has slipped 75 places over the last five years and now sits at #843. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedBen is most popular in New Jersey, where it ranks #324, followed by Massachusetts (#378) and New York (#448). It's in the top 1,000 in 12 states.
- MeaningBen is an English form of Benjamin, which means “son of the right hand”. Our records link it to English and Hebrew roots.
About the name Ben
Ben is a boy name of English and Hebrew origin meaning “son of the right hand”. It has 3 letters and 1 syllable, starting with B and ending in “-ben”. US birth records list Ben for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1889, when it ranked #43 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #843, with 292 babies.
Origin:English namesHebrew names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 3,137 | 319 boys |
| 1890s | 2,769 | 361 boys |
| 1900s | 2,233 | 448 boys |
| 1910s | 1,576 | 634 boys |
| 1920s | 963 | 1,038 boys |
| 1930s | 819 | 1,221 boys |
| 1940s | 553 | 1,808 boys |
| 1950s | 384 | 2,606 boys |
| 1960s | 407 | 2,457 boys |
| 1970s | 352 | 2,839 boys |
| 1980s | 245 | 4,089 boys |
| 1990s | 177 | 5,637 boys |
| 2000s | 209 | 4,779 boys |
| 2010s | 178 | 5,626 boys |
| 2020s | 182 | 5,493 boys |
More English boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Ben
What does the name Ben mean?
Ben means “son of the right hand” in English, as a form of Benjamin.
What is the origin of the name Ben?
Ben has English, Hebrew roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Ben a boy or girl name?
Ben is a boy name.
How popular is the name Ben?
Ben ranked #843 for US boys in 2025, given to 292 babies. Its best year was 1889 (#43).