Boy · #10,889 in 2026

Benjamen

Benjamin was the younger of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel, and Jacob's twelfth and youngest son overall in Jewish, Christian and Islamic tradition. He was also considered the progenitor of the Israelite Tribe of Benjamin. Unlike Rachel's first son, Joseph, Benjamin was born in Canaan according to biblical narrative.

Current Rank
#10,889
Peak Rank
#1,065 (1990)
Total Babies
4K
5-Yr Trend
-43%
1884
First Year
2024
Last Year
1990
Peak Year
#1065
Peak Rank
4K
Total Count
116
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Benjamen

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Benjamin was the younger of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel, and Jacob's twelfth and youngest son overall in Jewish, Christian and Islamic tradition. He was also considered the progenitor of the Israelite Tribe of Benjamin. Unlike Rachel's first son, Joseph, Benjamin was born in Canaan according to biblical narrative.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Origin & history
An exterior view of a Mamluk caravanserai complex, including the mausoleum of Nabi Yamin, traditionally believed to be the tomb of Benjamin, located outside Kfar Saba , Israel Biblical scholars believe, due to their geographic overlap and their treatment in older passages, that Ephraim and Manasseh were originally considered one tribe, that of Joseph . According to several biblical scholars, Benjamin was also originally part of this single tribe, but the biblical account of Joseph as his father became lost. The description of Benjamin being born after the arrival in Canaan is thought by some s

The Story of Benjamen

American parents first put Benjamen on the record books as a baby boy name in 1884, with 9 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1990, when 99 Benjamens were born — ranking #1,065 that year. The 1980s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 21% of all recorded Benjamens. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (6 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 4K Benjamens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
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AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
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AL
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Top 10
11-50
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500+
No data

Names that sound like Benjamen

Phonetically similar names — useful when Benjamen is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Benjamen

What does the name Benjamen mean?
Benjamin was the younger of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel, and Jacob's twelfth and youngest son overall in Jewish, Christian and Islamic tradition. He was also considered the progenitor of the Israelite Tribe of Benjamin. Unlike Rachel's first son, Joseph, Benjamin was born in Canaan according to biblical narrative.
How popular is Benjamen in 2026?
In 2026, Benjamen ranks #10,889 among boys' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Benjamen most popular?
Benjamen reached its peak popularity in 1990, ranking #1,065 that year with 99 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Benjamen most popular?
Benjamen has historically been most popular in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Benjamen.
Is Benjamen a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Benjamen is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Benjamen?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Benjamen include Juanita, Demetris, Jawan. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Jawan
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Dezmond
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Shakur
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Amiel
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About the name Benjamen

Benjamen is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1884 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Benjamen's peak popularity came in 1990 when it ranked #1,065. Use the chart and map above to compare Benjamen's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.