Given name & surname
Benno
“son of the right hand”·“son of the south”·“son of the south; son of the right hand”
In English use, Benno is a nickname for 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. Benno is a variant of Ben. In English use, Ben carries the interpretation “son of the south; son of the right hand.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Benno is a nickname for 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. Benno is a variant of Ben. In English use, Ben carries the interpretation “son of the south; son of the right hand.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Benno is a nickname for Benjamin. Benjamin comes from Hebrew Benyamin and has established use in English, French, and German as well as Jewish naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English use, Benno is a nickname for 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.
Explained through its name family
The story
Its Christian associations include Saint Benno, a bishop of Meissen.
Benno through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 306
- 306 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1916
- 12 babies
- 2025
- 7
- #9,835 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +4%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 7 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 9,835 among boys’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 341 as a first name in 2020; 174 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.
Benno’s family of names
In English usage, Benno is a nickname for Benjamin. Benno has a related form in Ben. In German usage, Benno is a diminutive of BERNHARD.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Benno has relatives in 5 languages.
6 related names in 5 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 30
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Bennettequivalent
- Benitoequivalent
- Bennetequivalent
- Baruchequivalent
- Bentoequivalent
- Benedettoequivalent
- Benoitequivalent
- Barakequivalent
Show 22 moreShow fewer
- Barackequivalent
- Benedictoequivalent
- Benzequivalent
- Benediktequivalent
- BenoUpper Sorbian
- Bengtequivalent
- Benedekequivalent
- Benoîtequivalent
- Bendikequivalent
- Bendichtequivalent
- БернхардRussian
- BenonPolish
- Benediktoequivalent
- Binidittuequivalent
- Benedictusequivalent
- Beneadequivalent
- Benedyktequivalent
- Bentequivalent
- Benešequivalent
- Beneditoequivalent
- Bénédictequivalent
- Bendixequivalent
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Benno
- Killing of Benno OhnesorgWest German university student killed on 2 June 1967 (1940–1967)
- Benno FürmannGerman actorborn 1972
- Benno of Meissenbishop and saint1010–1106
- Benno SchmitzGerman footballerborn 1994
- Benno MagnussonSwedish footballerborn 1953
- Benno MoiseiwitschRussian-British musician (1890–1963)
- Benno GutSwiss Cardinal (1897-1970)
- Benno von ArentGerman politician and SS officer (1898-1956)
- Benno BessonSwiss theatre director and actor (1922–2006)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
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