Benjamin

Boys

Best rank #11 (2016) · ranked in 18 years

Ranked in 18 years, Benjamin reached its best position of #11 in 2016.

It climbed from #33 in 2008 to #18 in 2025.

As of the latest count (2025), Benjamin sits at #18.

In 2016, 14,698 babies were given the name Benjamin.

Benjamin was most popular around 2016, making it characteristic of the 2010s generation.

Rank by year

11020200820172025
  1. 2025189,770
  2. 2024189,871
  3. 20231810,232
  4. 20221710,922
  5. 20211311,907
  6. 20201312,274
  7. 20191313,058
  8. 20181213,508
  9. 20171113,867
  10. 20161114,698
  11. 20151713,750
  12. 20141813,847
  13. 20131913,534
  14. 20122312,850
  15. 20112713,106
  16. 20103012,462
  17. 20092813,134
  18. 20083312,980

Similar names

If Benjamin is on your shortlist, Brandon, Bella, Brayden are worth a look too, given the similar sound and comparable popularity trends.

Origin & meaning

Benjamin comes from the Hebrew name Binyamin, meaning 'son of the right hand' or 'son of the south,' from ben (son) and yamin (right hand). In the Hebrew Bible, Benjamin was the twelfth and youngest son of Jacob, originally named Ben-oni ('son of my sorrow') by his mother Rachel before Jacob renamed him.

Notable people named Benjamin

  • Benjamin Franklin - Founding Father, inventor, and statesman
  • Benjamin Disraeli - British Prime Minister and novelist
  • Benjamin Netanyahu - Prime Minister of Israel

Benjamin has a long history as both a biblical and secular name in the United States, associated with Founding Father Benjamin Franklin, and has remained a steady top-50 name for American boys for decades.

Where Benjamin is most popular

In 2025, Benjamin was recorded in 51 of the 51 US jurisdictions the SSA reports on, with 9,762 births nationwide.

The largest share came from California at 1,257 births, 12.9% of the national total, where it ranked #19 that year.

By census region the name skews South, which accounts for 36.1% of Benjamin births, against 19.0% Northeast, 20.0% Midwest, 24.9% West.

State rankings spread more than the national figure suggests: Benjamin placed as high as #7 in Rhode Island and as low as #139 in Hawaii.

Top states, 2025

  1. 1California1,257 · #19 there
  2. 2Texas929 · #31 there
  3. 3Florida660 · #18 there
  4. 4New York573 · #23 there
  5. 5Pennsylvania405 · #13 there

Share by census region

  • Northeast19.0%
  • Midwest20.0%
  • South36.1%
  • West24.9%

Shares are of this name's national total, not of each state's births. SSA withholds any name under 5 occurrences per state and year. Browse all states

Frequently asked questions

Is Benjamin a popular name?
Benjamin reached a best rank of #11 in 2016 and has charted in 18 years.
Where does Benjamin rank now?
In the most recent data (2025), Benjamin ranks #18.
Is Benjamin a boy or girl name?
It is recorded primarily as a boys' name.
When was Benjamin most popular?
Benjamin peaked around 2016.

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Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) - Popular Baby Names (national)