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Benny

boy name
Origin
Hebrew
Syllables
2
Peak era
1930s/2020s
Today
▬ Steady

Meaning

nickname-style variant of Benjamin, traditionally 'son of the right hand'

The story

Read the story of Benjamin →

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The formal names behind Benny

Benny is an established short form of each of these names.

Benjamin · Hebrew origin · "son of the right hand," from the Hebrew Binyamin, Jacob's youngest and best-loved son; a name for cherished last-borns through centuries of Jewish, Puritan, and American use. Full of gravity, while Ben could not be friendlier

Benedict · Latin origin · from Benedictus, meaning 'blessed'

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Benny's name family

One shared root links 4 names in English.

Shared root: from Hebrew Binyamin "son of the right hand", Jacob's youngest son

The family

BennyEnglish · diminutiveBenjaminEnglish

More branches

BenEnglish · short formBennieEnglish · diminutive

Popularity, 1890–2024

1890speak 1930s2020s

Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Benny peaked in the 1930s and the 2020s in nearly equal measure.

See popularity in Brazil

Popularity in Brazil

373 people · the #16,374 first name in Brazil · about 1 in 500,000 · median age 12

1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s

Among people named Benny living in Brazil at the 2022 census, more were born in the 2010s than in any other decade.

The census also counted 72 born between 2020 and August 2022, too recent a span to chart.

Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022

When you meet Benny

People given the name Benny in the United States span the generations: the middle half were born anywhere from 1950 to 1999. Age is the one thing the name won't tell you.

Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.

Names that fit alongside Benny

Manny Johnny Joey Jimmy Toby Jordy

The Benny deep dive

Written for you · $1.99 →

Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Benny truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Benny fits with your family’s names and surname.

Both reports, explained →

Does Benny fit YOUR family?

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