The first name Benedict
A boy’s name from Latin meaning “blessed”, “well spoken of”, “to bless”.
Pronounced /ˈbɛnədɪkt/ 3 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
Benedict means “blessed”, “well spoken of”, “to bless” in Latin.
From Saint Benedict, founder of the Benedictine Order, from Late Latin Benedictus, from benedictus (“blessed, well spoken of”), from Latin benedīcō (“to bless, to speak well of”). Doublet of Bennett, Benoit, and Benito.
More names that mean holy.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 50 boys were named Benedict, making it the 702nd most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1999, with 209 births (#165).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Benedict with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Benedict at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 305 boys born in the United States were named Benedict, the 814th most popular boys’ name that year.
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.
Benedict in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Benedict in Romanian too.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
- Bene't
- Benedicta
Famous people named Benedict
38 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Benedict CumberbatchEnglish actor (born 1976)
- Benedict AndersonAmerican political scientist (1936-2015)
- Benedict ArnoldArmy officer who betrayed America to the British during the Revolutionary War (1740–1801)
- Horace Bénédict de SaussureGenevan scientist (1740–1799)
- Benedict WongBritish actor, born 1971
- Henry Benedict StuartCatholic cardinal, 1725–1807
- Johann Benedict ListingGerman mathematician (1808-1882)
- Benedict BiscopAnglo-Saxon abbot, 628–686
- Benedict Joseph LabreFrench mendicant and saint, 1748–1783
- Bénédict MorelFrench psychiatrist (1809–1873)
- Charles Benedict DavenportAmerican botanist, zoologist and eugenicist (1866 – 1944)
- Benedict WellsGerman novelist, born 1984
More Latin boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Benedict mean?
- Benedict means “blessed”, “well spoken of”, “to bless” in Latin.
- What is the origin of the name Benedict?
- From Saint Benedict, founder of the Benedictine Order, from Late Latin Benedictus, from benedictus (“blessed, well spoken of”), from Latin benedīcō (“to bless, to speak well of”). Doublet of Bennett, Benoit, and Benito.
- How popular is the name Benedict?
- In 2025, 50 boys born in England and Wales were named Benedict, ranking 702nd. Its peak was 1999, with 209 births.
- Is Benedict a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 10,475 US babies named Benedict since 1880 were boys.
- When was Benedict most popular?
- 2025 in the United States, when 305 babies were named Benedict, its highest rank at 814th.
- How do you pronounce Benedict?
- Benedict is /ˈbɛnədɪkt/, 3 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Benedict?
- Bene't and Benedicta.
- Is Benedict also a surname?
- Yes. Benedict is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.