Boy · #13 in 2026

Benjamin

Name: Popularity of the name Benjamin in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Benjamin, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Benjamin is a common given name for males, derived from Hebrew בִּנְיָמִין‎, Binyāmīn, translating as 'son of the right [hand]' in both Hebrew and Arabic languages, although in the Samaritan Pentateuch the name appears as Binyaamem: 'son of my days'.

Current Rank

#13

Peak Rank

#6 (1989)

Total Babies

836K

5-Yr Trend

-23%

1914

First Year

2024

Last Year

1983

Peak Year

#1278

Peak Rank

Total Count

108

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Benjamin

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

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

The Story of Benjamin

Benjamin first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 490 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1989, when 15,733 Benjamins were born — ranking #29 that year. As of 2026, Benjamin ranks #13 for baby boys with 9,202 births, falling sharply (-23%). In total, more than 836K Benjamins have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Benjamin

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

Benjamins
Benyamin
Binyamin
Bingaman
Penniman
Benumbing
Binman
Boogyman
Benetton
Bannerman
Bondman
Benhamou

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Benjamin

What does the name Benjamin mean?

How popular is Benjamin in 2026?

In 2026, Benjamin ranks #13 among boys' names in the U.S., with 9,202 babies given the name that year.

When was Benjamin most popular?

Benjamin reached its peak popularity in 1989, ranking #6 that year with 15,733 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Benjamin most popular?

Benjamin has historically been most popular in Kansas, Massachusetts, New Hampshire. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Benjamin.

Is Benjamin a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Benjamin is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Benjamin?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Benjamin include Frank, Henry, Mark. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Benjamin

Benjamin is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 836K births in the dataset. Benjamin's peak popularity came in 1989 when it ranked #6. Use the chart and map above to compare Benjamin'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.