The first name Ben
A boy’s name.
Pronounced /bɛn/ 1 syllable Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
A shortening of the male given name Benjamin or, less often, of Benedict.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 79 boys were named Ben, making it the 487th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2002, with 3,190 births (#21).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Ben with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Ben at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 292 boys born in the United States were named Ben, the 843rd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1918, when 1,276 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Ben
285 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Ben KingsleyEnglish actor (born 1943)
- Ben JonsonEnglish playwright, poet, and actor (1572-1637)
- Ben Roy MottelsonDanish-American nuclear physicist (1926–2022)
- Ben WhishawBritish actor and producer (born 1980)
- Ben FosterEnglish association football player (born 1983)
- Ben ChilwellEnglish association football player (born 1996)
- Ben JohnsonCanadian sprinter, born 1961
- Ben BarnesBritish actor and singer, born 1981
- Ben FosterAmerican actor, born 1980
- Ben JohnsonAmerican film actor (1918–1996)
- Ben SteinAmerican actor, writer, commentator, lawyer, teacher, humorist, born 1944
- Ben MendelsohnAustralian actor, born 1969
Questions
- How popular is the name Ben?
- In 2025, 79 boys born in England and Wales were named Ben, ranking 487th. Its peak was 2002, with 3,190 births.
- Is Ben a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 85,816 US babies named Ben since 1880 were boys.
- When was Ben most popular?
- 1918 in the United States, when 1,276 babies were named Ben, its highest rank at 128th.
- How do you pronounce Ben?
- Ben is /bɛn/, one syllable.
- Is Ben also a surname?
- Yes. Ben is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.