Benjamin
Meaning & Origin
Meaning: Son of the Right Hand; Son of Happiness
Background: The name Benjamin originates from the Hebrew name Binyamin (בִּנְיָמִין), meaning 'son of the right hand' or 'son of happiness.' This name was adopted into Greek as Βενιαμίν (Beniamín) and later into Latin, retaining its original meaning. The name is notably recognized as the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
At a glance
Quick stats based on the history of this name.
Lifetime rank
#38
Total births
819,436
Most popular decade
1980s
(426,549 births)
10-year trend
↑ Rising (+1 ranks)
Years in Top 100
104
First recorded year
1880
Gender usage
99.7% male
0.3% female
Stats by gender
Male
- First year
- 1880
- First year births
- 490
- First year rank
- #32
- Peak year
- 1989
- Peak year births
- 15,733
- Peak rank
- #29
- Most recent year
- 2024
- Recent year births
- 9,814
- Recent rank
- #11
Female
- First year
- 1914
- First year births
- 5
- First year rank
- #3,618
- Peak year
- 1983
- Peak year births
- 96
- Peak rank
- #1,278
- Most recent year
- 2024
- Recent year births
- 6
- Recent rank
- #13,427
Births over time
Number of babies given this name each year.
Rank over time
Popularity rank by year (1 = most popular).