The first name Benjamin
A boy’s name from Hebrew meaning “son of the right/south”, “son of days”, “days”.
Pronounced /ˈbɛnd͡ʒəmɪn/ 3 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Hebrew origin
Benjamin means “son of the right/south”, “son of days”, “days” in Hebrew.
From Late Latin Benjamin, from Ancient Greek Βενιαμίν (Beniamín), from Biblical Hebrew בִּנְיָמִין (binyamīn, literally “son of the right/south or son of days”). Authorities differ on the meaning of the original Hebrew. Philo of Alexandria, the Samaritan Pentateuch The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs and Midrash Leḳaḥ-Ṭob understand יָמִין to mean "days" (a meaning attested in Daniel 12:13) understanding the name to mean "son of days (i.e. old age)" (compare to the direct translations into Arabic بِنْ يَومِين (bin yawmīn) "son of the days" and Arabic بِنْ يَمِين (bin yamīn) "son of the right hand"), a formula paraphrased in Genesis 40:22 where Benjamin is described as a child of Jacob's old age.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 808 boys were named Benjamin, making it the 61st most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2004, with 5,144 births (#9).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Benjamin with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Benjamin at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 9,762 boys born in the United States were named Benjamin, the 11th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1989, when 15,733 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.
Benjamin in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Benjamin in Danish, Finnish, French, German, Latin, Norwegian, Romanian and Swedish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Benjamin
445 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Benjamin FranklinAmerican polymath and statesman (1706–1790)
- Benjamin DisraeliBritish statesman (1804–1881)
- Benjamin ConstantFrench-Swiss politician, writer on politics and religion (1767-2011)
- Benjamin BrittenEnglish composer, conductor, and pianist (1913-1976)
- Benjamin PavardFrench footballer (born 1996)
- Benjamin SpockAmerican pediatrician and author of Baby and Child Care (1903-1998)
- Benjamin ListGerman chemist (1968-)
- Benjamin Lee WhorfAmerican linguist (1897–1941)
- Benjamin MendyFrench footballer (born 1994)
- Benjamin BrattAmerican actor (born 1963)
- Benjamin ThompsonAmerican-born British physicist and inventor (1753–1814)
- Benjamin GrahamAmerican economist and investor (1894-1976)
More Hebrew boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Benjamin mean?
- Benjamin means “son of the right/south”, “son of days”, “days” in Hebrew.
- What is the origin of the name Benjamin?
- From Late Latin Benjamin, from Ancient Greek Βενιαμίν (Beniamín), from Biblical Hebrew בִּנְיָמִין (binyamīn, literally “son of the right/south or son of days”). Authorities differ on the meaning of the original Hebrew. Philo of Alexandria, the Samaritan Pentateuch The Testament of the Twelve…
- How popular is the name Benjamin?
- In 2025, 808 boys born in England and Wales were named Benjamin, ranking 61st. Its peak was 2004, with 5,144 births.
- What are nicknames for Benjamin?
- Common nicknames for Benjamin include Benno, Benji, Benjy, Benjie, Bennie.
- Is Benjamin a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 829,312 US babies named Benjamin since 1880 were boys.
- When was Benjamin most popular?
- 1989 in the United States, when 15,733 babies were named Benjamin, its highest rank at 29th.
- How do you pronounce Benjamin?
- Benjamin is /ˈbɛnd͡ʒəmɪn/, 3 syllables.
- Is Benjamin also a surname?
- Yes. Benjamin is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.