Benedict
Benedict is a masculine given name of Latin origin, meaning "blessed". Etymologically, it is derived from the Latin words bene ('good') and dicere ('speak'), i.e. "well spoken". The name was borne by Saint Benedict of Nursia (480–547), often called the founder of Western Christian monasticism.
Meaning & Origin of Benedict
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Benedict is a masculine given name of Latin origin, meaning "blessed". Etymologically, it is derived from the Latin words bene ('good') and dicere ('speak'), i.e. "well spoken". The name was borne by Saint Benedict of Nursia (480–547), often called the founder of Western Christian monasticism.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Benedict
Benedict first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1882, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 271 Benedicts were born — ranking #878 that year. As of 2026, Benedict ranks #878 for baby boys with 271 births, rising sharply (+31% over the past five years). In total, more than 11K Benedicts have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Benedict
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Benedict of Nursia (480–547), Italian monk, founder of the Benedictine order of monasticism
- Benedict of Aniane (747–821), Benedictine monk and monastic reformer
- Benedict Biscop (628–690), Anglo-Saxon abbot
- Benedict (bishop of Milan) (died 732), archbishop of Milan
- Benedict of Szkalka (died 1012), Hungarian Benedictine monk
- Benedict the Bridge-Builder ( c. 1163 – 1184), also known as Bénézet
- Benedict the Moor (1526–1589), also known as Benedict the Black
- Benedict Joseph Labre (1748–1783), French Franciscan mendicant
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Benedict
Phonetically similar names — useful when Benedict is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Benedikt
- Benedicte
- Benedick
- Benedicts
- Benedicto
- Benedek
- Benedicta
- Benedight
- Benedictine
- Bendik
- Benedictus
- Benedictive
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Benedict
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About the name Benedict
Benedict is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1882 and has accumulated 11K births in the dataset. Benedict's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #447. Use the chart and map above to compare Benedict's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "B" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.