Benjamin is a boy name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Benjamin means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Benjamin across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Benjamin has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Benjamin is a boy name of Hebrew origin meaning “son of the right hand”. the youngest son of Jacob.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 829,312 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 89,797 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 5,054 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 1,843 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 3,975 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 16,177 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Benjamin per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1989 (15,788/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2004 (5,144/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2004 (164/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2007 (145/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2002 (113/yr).
Benjamin has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1989, when it ranked #46 nationally (given to 15,902 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1980s.
Benjiman · Bengiman · Benjamine · Benjamen · Benjaman · Banjamin · Benjeman · Benjamon
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