Baby Name Popularity Profile

Benjamin

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Benjamin.

✦ Son of the right hand 🌍 Hebrew biblical traditional
National Rank (2025) #11
All-Time Peak Rank #6 Achieved 2016
Total U.S. Births 826,830 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 99.9% Boy / 0.1% Girl Overwhelmingly Male
First Recorded 1880 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1980s 15,733 births in 1989
💡 The Benjamin Vibe: Considered a Perennial Favorite. A historic staple that has maintained dominant national popularity for over half a century.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Son of the right hand
Language Origin Hebrew
Origin Type single
Derived from the Hebrew name Binyamin, meaning 'son of the right hand' or 'son of the south'.
Common Nicknames
Ben Bennie Benny
Pronunciation: BEN-ja-min
Themes & Categories
biblical traditional
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Benjamin

According to SSA data, Benjamin achieved its highest historical rank of #6 in 2016. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1989 with 15,733 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 28.9%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 146 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Benjamin across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Declining
10-Year Shift -28.9% Decline
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 15,733 births in 1989
Years in Top 100 105 yrs
Years in Top 500 146 yrs
Registry Streak 146 yrs
Historical Volatility Very Stable
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 5,407
1890s: 4,460
1900s: 4,009
1910s: 17,310
1920s: 21,028
1930s: 14,613
1940s: 17,184
1950s: 23,833
1960s: 25,609
1970s: 81,332
1980s: 141,366
1990s: 133,939
2000s: 137,309
2010s: 134,509
2020s: 64,922

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Ben-ja-min
Letter Count 8 letters
Spelling Complexity Complex
Length Percentile Longer than 79% of names
Linguistic Profile: Longer than 79.0% of SSA names. Starts with B, a letter used by only 3.6% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Benjamin.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State New Hampshire
Top States New Hampshire, Alaska, Utah, Maine, Vermont
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
New Hampshire #12 5,179 1987 23.9% Decline
Alaska #11 2,236 1984 15.2% Decline
Utah #20 10,814 1981 27.8% Decline
Maine #13 5,675 1989 13.6% Decline
Vermont #19 2,123 1988 44.4% Decline
Oregon #7 10,871 1979 15.2% Decline
Colorado #16 13,809 2000 10.2% Decline
Minnesota #18 21,104 1981 26.1% Decline
Idaho #11 4,505 1979 3.9% Decline
Washington #6 18,333 1981 23.4% Decline
Delaware #7 2,307 2000 +17.2% Growth
Nevada #21 3,749 2018 15.5% Decline
Arizona #18 12,827 2013 30.2% Decline
Hawaii #79 3,171 1989 60.7% Decline
Rhode Island #6 3,747 1992 10.0% Decline
Massachusetts #7 25,147 2000 20.6% Decline
Wisconsin #16 20,340 1981 +5.1% Growth
Wyoming #27 1,375 1983 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #11 22,752 1989 15.5% Decline
Maryland #18 14,958 2006 38.6% Decline
Connecticut #11 10,795 1989 30.1% Decline
South Carolina #30 13,830 1990 26.1% Decline
District of Columbia #22 4,185 1989 46.5% Decline
Florida #9 30,855 2018 9.6% Decline
Montana #18 2,719 1980 +26.9% Growth
Georgia #14 24,911 2000 3.5% Decline
Iowa #27 11,464 1982 21.1% Decline
Nebraska #9 6,319 1989 +23.2% Growth
New Mexico #15 4,606 1986 2.0% Decline
North Carolina #16 24,225 2000 10.7% Decline
Indiana #9 19,593 1989 15.0% Decline
California #9 80,392 2016 24.1% Decline
Ohio #14 36,565 1981 21.3% Decline
Michigan #13 29,821 1981 35.1% Decline
North Dakota #45 2,634 1981 48.7% Decline
Pennsylvania #7 41,174 1989 21.2% Decline
Missouri #16 16,939 1981 30.1% Decline
Kansas #16 7,990 2016 26.6% Decline
Tennessee #19 16,039 1999 3.6% Decline
South Dakota #32 2,514 1996 22.6% Decline
Illinois #9 34,799 2000 32.7% Decline
Kentucky #26 11,966 1983 12.7% Decline
New Jersey #12 18,892 2015 21.5% Decline
New York #16 52,355 2016 21.8% Decline
Alabama #21 12,417 1990 10.4% Decline
Texas #19 51,635 2016 18.2% Decline
Louisiana #26 10,854 1989 26.4% Decline
Arkansas #15 6,349 1988 8.2% Decline
Oklahoma #27 7,974 1982 17.9% Decline
West Virginia #54 5,439 1977 23.7% Decline
Mississippi #59 6,718 1981 47.9% Decline

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

👦 Brother Suggestions
Jonathan Joshua Christopher Matthew Daniel Andrew Aaron Ryan Adam Wilfredo
👧 Sister Suggestions
Sarah Meredith Danielle Adrienne Kristina Julianne Katherin Adrianne Stefanie Ivelisse

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