Boy · #1,555 in 2026

Benji

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

Benji is a fictional canine character created by Joe Camp. He has been the focus of several feature films and other media, beginning with the independently produced 1974 film of that title. Benji is a small, golden, mixed-breed dog with a knack for being in the right place at the right time, usually to help someone overcome a problem.

Current Rank

#1,555

Peak Rank

#622 (1975)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

+41%

1956

First Year

2023

Last Year

1975

Peak Year

#6485

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Benji

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 Benji

Benji first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1952, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1975, when 168 Benjis were born — ranking #622 that year. As of 2026, Benji ranks #1,555 for baby boys with 112 births, rising sharply (+41% over the past five years). In total, more than 2K Benjis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1950s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Benji

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

Benjy
Benjie
Bungee
Bungy
Bingy
Bangi
Benshee
Bunchy
Binchy
Banshee
Banjo
Benny

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Benji

What does the name Benji mean?

How popular is Benji in 2026?

In 2026, Benji ranks #1,555 among boys' names in the U.S., with 112 babies given the name that year.

When was Benji most popular?

Benji reached its peak popularity in 1975, ranking #622 that year with 168 babies given the name.

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

Benji has historically been most popular in Minnesota, Georgia, North Carolina. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Benji.

Is Benji a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Benji?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Benji include Nancy, Joyce, Alonso. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Benji

Benji is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1952 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Benji's peak popularity came in 1975 when it ranked #622. Use the chart and map above to compare Benji'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.