Given name & surname
Ben
“son of the south; son of the right hand”·“one who is blessed”·“son of the right hand”
In English use, Ben is a diminutive of Benedict. One Latin interpretation is “one who is blessed.” In German use, Ben is a short form of Benjamin. Two leading interpretations are “son of the right hand” and “son of the south.” The Hebrew element yamin can refer to either the right side or the south.
Original Hebrewבן
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Ben carries the interpretation “son of the south; son of the right hand.” In English use, Ben is a diminutive of Benedict. One Latin interpretation is “one who is blessed.” In German use, Ben is a short form of Benjamin. Two leading interpretations are “son of the right hand” and “son of the south.” The Hebrew element yamin can refer to either the right side or the south.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
In English use, Ben is used as a shortened form of Benjamin. In German use, Ben is a short form of Benjamin. The shared background comes through Benjamin: Benjamin combines the idea of a son with yamin. A different traditional explanation links the second element with years, giving the sense “son of my old age”; it is an alternative interpretation, not a settled translation.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In German use, Ben is a short form of Benjamin. The history of Benjamin gives this family its wider story. In Genesis, Benjamin is Jacob’s youngest son. Rachel first names him Benoni, and Jacob changes the name to Benyamin. This family story is central to the name’s biblical associations.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Ben appears in 1 Chronicles 15:18.
From biblical name research
Ben through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 85,816
- 85,349 boys · 467 girls
- Most popular year
- 1918
- 1,293 babies
- 2025
- 292
- #843 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −7%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 292 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 843 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 6.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 1,276 in 1918. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (38). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 107,539 as a first name in 2020; 3,170 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Ben’s family of names
In English usage, Ben is a diminutive of Benjamin. Ben has a related form in Benny. In German usage, Ben is a short form of Benjamin.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Ben has relatives in 5 languages. Lines run from its English roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 20
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 32
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Benitoequivalent
- Bennetequivalent
- Baruchequivalent
- Bentoequivalent
- Ebenequivalent
- Benoitequivalent
- Benedettoequivalent
- Barakequivalent
Show 24 moreShow fewer
- Barackequivalent
- Benedictoequivalent
- Benzequivalent
- Benediktequivalent
- Benasequivalent
- Benoequivalent
- Bengtequivalent
- Benedekequivalent
- Benjamínequivalent
- Benoîtequivalent
- Bendikequivalent
- Bendichtequivalent
- Benonequivalent
- БенRussian
- Benéequivalent
- Benediktoequivalent
- Binidittuequivalent
- Benedictusequivalent
- Beneadequivalent
- Benedyktequivalent
- Bentequivalent
- Beneditoequivalent
- Bénédictequivalent
- Bendixequivalent
See also 19
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Ben
- Ben AffleckAmerican film actor, director and screenwriter (born 1972)
- Ben JonsonEnglish playwright, poet, and actor (1572-1637)
- Ben KingsleyEnglish actor (born 1943)
- Ben BernankeAmerican economist (born 1953)
- Ben Roy MottelsonDanish-American nuclear physicist (1926–2022)
- Ben FosterEnglish association football player (born 1983)
- Ben ChilwellEnglish association football player (born 1996)
- Ben WhishawBritish actor and producer (born 1980)
- Ben E. KingAmerican singer (1938–2015)
Characters named Ben: Ben Linus (the American mystery fiction television series Lost), Ben Tennyson (protagonist of Ben 10), Ben Urich (Marvel Comics), Ben Kalish Ezab (fictional character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Ben, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Jack
“God is gracious” · “the son of Jack or John”
>99% boys
Barney
“son of consolation” · “the son of the prophet; the son of encouragement”
>99% boys
Bert
“one who is illustrious”
>99% boys
Ray
“a wise protector” · “son of grace”
93% boys · 7% girls
Edwin
“a wealthy friend”
>99% boys
Edward
“a wealthy protector”
>99% boys
Elden
“an old friend”
>99% boys
Elmer
“a renowned and noble man”
>99% boys