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Boy name · English

Benson

Name meaning, origin and popularity

: from a surname meaning son of Benedict

Benson is a boy's name that comes from an English surname meaning "son of Benedict". It is used in English.

Meaning
From a surname meaning son of Benedict
Origin
English
Gender
Boy
US rank
#279 in 2025

Meaning and origin of Benson

As a boy's name, Benson comes from an English surname meaning "son of Benedict". It is used in English.

Benson is also a surname: the 378th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 82,707 people. See the most common last names.

Meaning checked against Behind the Name. How we research names

How popular is Benson?

US rank in 2025
#279
1,214 babies, 711 per million boys
Best rank
#279 in 2025
1,214 babies that year
Babies since 1887
At least 14,312
Years with under 5 are not listed
1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
Babies per million US boys, by decade (the 2020s so far, to 2025). Highest in the 2020s, at 368 per million.
Babies named Benson per million US boys, by decade; highest in the 2020s
1880s21 per million
1890s19 per million
1900s25 per million
1910s43 per million
1920s36 per million
1930s27 per million
1940s26 per million
1950s23 per million
1960s22 per million
1970s31 per million
1980s29 per million
1990s33 per million
2000s66 per million
2010s274 per million
2020s368 per million
US rank by year
Year2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Rank#428#475#468#507#552#582#645#617#436#279

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.

Names spelled like Benson

One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.

  • BennoBear (Germanic, boy)
  • BentoBlessed one (Latin, boy)
  • BenzionSon of Zion (Hebrew, boy)
  • BrysonFrom a surname meaning son of Brice (English, boy)

Names with a similar meaning

  • MiriamForm of Mary, meaning uncertain; perhaps Egyptian beloved (Hebrew, girl)
  • AaronProbably Egyptian, meaning unknown; Hebrew theories say exalted (Hebrew, boy)
  • AlanMeaning uncertain; perhaps little rock, or from the Alans (Brythonic, boy)
  • AthenaMeaning unknown; the Greek goddess of wisdom (Greek, girl)
  • DeclanMeaning unknown, though likely begins with Old Irish dag, good (Irish Gaelic, boy)
  • EvelynFrom a surname derived from the given name Aveline (English, girl)
  • GrahamFrom a surname from the place name Grantham, probably gravelly homestead (Old English, boy)
  • JacksonFrom a surname meaning son of Jack (English, boy)
  • KennedyFrom an Irish surname, from Cennétig, armoured or misshapen head (Irish Gaelic, girl)
  • MariaGreek and Latin form of Miriam, of uncertain meaning (Hebrew, girl)
  • NayeliPossibly from Zapotec words meaning I love you or open (Zapotec, girl)
  • NolanFrom an Irish surname derived from nuall, famous, loud (Irish Gaelic, boy)
  • XimenaFeminine of Ximeno, a medieval Spanish name of uncertain meaning (Spanish, girl)
  • AdairFrom a surname derived from Edgar (English, unisex)
  • AmariMeaning uncertain, perhaps from Arabic Ammar (Arabic, unisex)

Middle names for Benson

Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.

  • ClarkCleric, scribe (Old English, boy)
  • DrakeDragon (Old English, boy)
  • FordRiver crossing (Old English, boy)
  • GrantGreat, large (Old French, boy)
  • IsaacHe will laugh (Hebrew, boy)
  • JohnGod is gracious (Hebrew, boy)
  • RhysArdor, enthusiasm (Welsh, boy)
  • ShaneGod is gracious (Hebrew, boy)

More boy names from English

  • AinsleyFrom a place named for a solitary or hermitage clearing (English, unisex)
  • ArmstrongStrong in the arm (English, boy)
  • ScottFrom Scotland (English, boy)
  • AceFrom the English word ace, highest rank (English, boy)
  • AndersonSon of Andrew (English, boy)
  • ArloMeaning uncertain; perhaps from Spenser's Arlo Hill (English, boy)
  • AyrtonSettlement on the River Aire (English, boy)
  • BayA sheltered curve of coast (English, unisex)
  • CarterCart driver (English, boy)
  • CedarFragrant evergreen tree (English, boy)
  • ChaseHunter (English, boy)
  • ColterFrom a surname for a keeper of horses (English, boy)
  • CooperBarrel maker (English, boy)
  • CrewFrom the English word crew, a group of people (English, boy)
  • DawsonSon of David (English, boy)
  • EllisonSon of Ellis (English, unisex)
  • ForestWoodland (English, boy)
  • FranklinFreeman (English, boy)

Benson: common questions

What does the name Benson mean?

Benson comes from an English surname meaning "son of Benedict". Checked against Behind the Name.

Is Benson a boy or girl name?

Benson is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 13 girls and 1,214 boys in the US were named Benson, according to Social Security Administration data.

Where does the name Benson come from?

Benson comes from an English surname meaning "son of Benedict". Today it is used in English.

How popular is the name Benson?

Benson ranked #279 in the US in 2025, with 1,214 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

What names are similar to Benson?

Names spelled like Benson include Benno, Bento, Benzion and Bryson.

What middle names go with Benson?

Middle names that flow well with Benson include Clark, Drake, Ford, Grant and Isaac. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.