Ben Boy

Popularity: #623 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

PronunciationBEN / bɛn

Hebrew; English

Meaning

Hebrew: Son of the right hand; English: Short form of Benjamin

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Ben is often associated with the Hebrew name Benjamin, which appears in the Bible as the youngest son of Jacob. In various cultures, it has been used as a standalone name or as a diminutive. The name has gained popularity in English-speaking countries since the 19th century. It is often seen as a friendly and approachable name.

Trend Summary

The name Ben has consistently remained popular in the United States, often ranking within the top 100 names for boys.

Similar Names

BeckBennettBlaineBrentBlakeBrockBradBryce

Variants

  • Benjamin
  • Benny

International Variants

  • Benoît (French)
  • Benno (German)
  • Beni (Italian)

Famous people named Ben

Ben Affleck is an American actor and filmmaker known for his roles in films such as 'Good Will Hunting' and 'Argo'.

Ben Stiller is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker recognized for his work in movies like 'Zoolander' and 'Meet the Parents'.

Ben Kingsley is a British actor acclaimed for his performance in 'Gandhi', for which he won an Academy Award.

Ben Carson is an American neurosurgeon and author who gained fame for his groundbreaking medical work.

Fictional characters named Ben

Ben Tennyson is the main character in the animated series 'Ben 10', known for his ability to transform into various alien heroes.

Ben Wyatt is a character from the television series 'Parks and Recreation', portrayed as a state auditor and love interest of Leslie Knope.

Sibling Suggestions

SamMaxJakeLeoEliNoah

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Ben was first seen in the United States in 1880. Ben has ranked as high as #291 nationally, which occurred in 1918, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Georgia, and Tennessee. In the past 5 years the name Ben has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Ben (2024)

StateBirthsShare
NY 47
20%
CA 41
17%
FL 28
12%
TX 27
11%
MA 12
5%
IL 9
4%
MD 8
3%
UT 8
3%
NC 8
3%
WA 7
3%
AL 6
3%
AR 6
3%
OH 6
3%
KY 6
3%
PA 6
3%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

YearBirths
1880305
1881289
1882334
1883306
1884367
1885292
1886335
1887305
1888463
1889453
1890363
1891302
1892361
1893321
1894326
1895324
1896299
1897291
1898310
1899259
1900355
1901259
1902273
1903259
1904282
1905290
1906285
1907314
1908353
1909358
1910454
1911467
1912731
1913809
19141,005
19151,263
19161,191
19171,128
19181,276
19191,215
19201,138
19211,124
19221,120
19231,049
19241,170
19251,041
19261,013
19271,011
1928987
1929957
1930987
1931912
1932965
1933868
1934831
1935891
1936815
1937814
1938846
1939709
1940814
1941767
1942852
1943835
1944752
1945717
1946819
1947887
1948874
1949761
1950721
1951686
1952719
1953746
1954753
1955735
1956739
1957856
1958878
1959932
1960955
1961934
19621,044
1963945
1964870
1965727
1966683
1967553
1968630
1969578
1970620
1971578
1972591
1973535
1974541
1975603
1976590
1977626
1978572
1979549
1980518
1981522
1982436
1983431
1984444
1985428
1986431
1987426
1988430
1989437
1990367
1991352
1992358
1993333
1994292
1995322
1996315
1997372
1998353
1999390
2000376
2001394
2002408
2003440
2004453
2005446
2006455
2007409
2008405
2009388
2010337
2011344
2012311
2013310
2014336
2015330
2016354
2017327
2018350
2019339
2020313
2021327
2022329
2023311
2024313