Boy name · Hebrew
Benjamin
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: son of the right handBenjamin is a boy's name that comes from Hebrew and means "son of the right hand". It is used in English, French, German, Dutch, Scandinavian and Spanish.
- Meaning
- Son of the right hand
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #11 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Benjamin
As a boy's name, Benjamin comes from Hebrew and means "son of the right hand". It is used in English, French, German, Dutch, Scandinavian and Spanish. In Spanish it is spelled Benjamín.
In French, say ban-zhah-MAN. In Spanish, say ben-hah-MEEN. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Benjamin is also a surname: the 855th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 39,477 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Benjamin on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Benjamin on 6 lists.
“Son of the right hand; Hebrew. Youngest son of Jacob, Genesis”
From Biblical names, biblical names for boys
“Son of the right hand; Hebrew. Balanced three-syllable classic”
From Boy middle names, classic boy middle names
“Son of the right hand; Hebrew. Ben for short; youngest son of Jacob”
From Classic boy names, timeless boy names
“Son of the right hand; Hebrew. Say ban-zhah-MAN”
From French boy names, french boy names that work in English
“Ben Franklin praised the turkey in a 1784 letter”
From Funny names for turkeys, boy turkey names (for toms)
“Son of the right hand; Hebrew. Jacob's youngest son. Say ben-hah-MEEN”
From Spanish boy names, spanish boy names from the Bible
How popular is Benjamin?
- US rank in 2025
- #11
- 9,762 babies, 5,715 per million boys
- Best rank
- #6 in 2016
- Most babies: 15,733 in 1989
- Babies since 1880
- At least 826,830
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 4,936 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 3,909 per million |
| 1900s | 2,953 per million |
| 1910s | 2,593 per million |
| 1920s | 1,908 per million |
| 1930s | 1,383 per million |
| 1940s | 1,154 per million |
| 1950s | 1,179 per million |
| 1960s | 1,329 per million |
| 1970s | 4,924 per million |
| 1980s | 7,658 per million |
| 1990s | 6,876 per million |
| 2000s | 6,879 per million |
| 2010s | 7,154 per million |
| 2020s | 6,265 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6 | #6 | #6 | #7 | #7 | #7 | #9 | #11 | #11 | #11 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Benjamin
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Bencommon English nickname
- Benjicommon English nickname
- Bennycommon English nickname
Other forms of Benjamin
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- BenSon of the right hand (Hebrew, boy)
- BenjiSon of the right hand (Hebrew, boy)
- BinyaminSon of the right hand (Hebrew, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- AkachiThe hand of God (Igbo, unisex)
- FurkanDistinguishing right from wrong (Arabic, boy)
- FurqanCriterion between right and wrong (Arabic, boy)
- HudaRight guidance (Arabic, girl)
- TsumugiPongee, hand-spun silk (Japanese, girl)
Middle names for Benjamin
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Hebrew
- AdamMan, humankind (Hebrew, boy)
- DavidBeloved one (Hebrew, boy)
- DanielGod is my judge (Hebrew, boy)
- NoahRest, repose (Hebrew, boy)
- EliasMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
- GabrielGod is my strength (Hebrew, boy)
- AxelMy father is peace (Hebrew, boy)
- IsaacHe will laugh (Hebrew, boy)
- JanGod is gracious (Hebrew, boy)
- JonathanYahweh has given (Hebrew, boy)
Benjamin: common questions
What does the name Benjamin mean?
Benjamin comes from Hebrew and means "son of the right hand".
Is Benjamin a boy or girl name?
Benjamin is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 8 girls and 9,762 boys in the US were named Benjamin, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are nicknames for Benjamin?
Common nicknames for Benjamin include Ben, Benji and Benny.
How popular is the name Benjamin?
Benjamin ranked #11 in the US in 2025, with 9,762 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Benjamin?
Forms of Benjamin with the same meaning and origin include Ben (German), Benji (English) and Binyamin (Hebrew).
What middle names go with Benjamin?
Middle names that flow well with Benjamin include Eli, Grant, Knox, Mark and Max. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.