Benjamin
Meaningson of the right hand · Hebrew
- US rank
- #11
- Syllables
- 3
- Peak
- #6 in 2018
9,762 babies were named Benjamin in the US in 2025. It has dropped 4 places in five years.
Nicknames & spellings
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 Benjamin you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Benjamin
Benjamin Pavard
French footballer (born 1996)
Choose Benjamin and your child shares a first name with Benjamin Pavard, a French footballer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Benjamin, like who?” Benjamin Pavard's Wikipedia article is available in 62 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Benjamin Pavard on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Кирилл Венедиктов, CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 175 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Benjamin, 9,762 babies in all. In a school of 500 kids, there'd probably be one other Benjamin.
- HistoryBenjamin has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Benjamins, and counting.
- Best yearIts best year was 2018, when it reached #6.
- Where it's lovedBenjamin is the #6 boy name in 2 states, including Rhode Island, Washington and Washington. It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Hebrew, Benjamin means “son of the right hand”. Our records link it to English and Hebrew roots.
- OriginBenjamin is the #5 most popular English boy name in the US. That's out of 7,815 English boy and unisex names in our list.
About the name Benjamin
Benjamin is a boy name of English and Hebrew origin meaning “son of the right hand”. It has 8 letters and 3 syllables, starting with B and ending in “-min”. US birth records list Benjamin for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 2018, when it ranked #6 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #11, with 9,762 babies.
Origin:English namesHebrew names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 4,920 | 203 boys |
| 1890s | 3,917 | 255 boys |
| 1900s | 2,951 | 339 boys |
| 1910s | 2,682 | 373 boys |
| 1920s | 1,910 | 524 boys |
| 1930s | 1,384 | 722 boys |
| 1940s | 1,164 | 859 boys |
| 1950s | 1,181 | 846 boys |
| 1960s | 1,345 | 743 boys |
| 1970s | 4,971 | 201 boys |
| 1980s | 7,655 | 131 boys |
| 1990s | 6,876 | 145 boys |
| 2000s | 6,885 | 145 boys |
| 2010s | 7,157 | 140 boys |
| 2020s | 6,262 | 160 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: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
- Unisex name: Cooper · barrel maker
Questions about the name Benjamin
What does the name Benjamin mean?
Benjamin means “son of the right hand” in Hebrew.
What is the origin of the name Benjamin?
Benjamin has English, Hebrew roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Benjamin a boy or girl name?
Benjamin is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Benjamin?
Benjamin ranked #11 for US boys in 2025, given to 9,762 babies. Its best year was 2018 (#6).