Benny
Benny or Bennie is a given name or a shortened version of the given name Benjamin or, less commonly, Benedict, Bennett, Benito, Benson, Bernice, Ebenezer, Benansio/Benancio or Bernard.
Meaning & Origin of Benny
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Benny or Bennie is a given name or a shortened version of the given name Benjamin or, less commonly, Benedict, Bennett, Benito, Benson, Bernice, Ebenezer, Benansio/Benancio or Bernard.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Benny
Benny first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1882, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1948, when 1,065 Bennys were born — ranking #189 that year. As of 2026, Benny ranks #884 for baby boys with 269 births, rising sharply (+47% over the past five years). In total, more than 49K Bennys 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 Benny
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Fictional characters
- References
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Benny
Phonetically similar names — useful when Benny 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 Benny
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About the name Benny
Benny is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1882 and has accumulated 49K births in the dataset. Benny's peak popularity came in 1948 when it ranked #172. Use the chart and map above to compare Benny's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1948 →
- Names of the 1940s →
- 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.