What Does the Name Benjamin Mean?
Benjamin is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning “son of the right hand.”
Updated June 2026
| Name | Benjamin |
|---|---|
| Gender | male |
| Origin | Hebrew |
| Meaning | son of the right hand |
| Variants | Ben, Benji, Benjamín, Benyamin |
| Popularity | A steady US top-10 name through the 2010s and 2020s |
The meaning and origin of Benjamin
The name Benjamin means “son of the right hand” and has Hebrew origins. Benjamin comes from the Hebrew Binyamin, meaning 'son of the right hand' (i.e., son of the south or of good fortune). It was the youngest of Jacob's twelve sons in the Old Testament.
Variants and related names
Benjamin is related to several other names you may recognize: Ben, Benji, Benjamín, Benyamin. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.
How popular is the name Benjamin?
A steady US top-10 name through the 2010s and 2020s
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Open the name generator →Frequently asked questions
What does the name Benjamin mean?+
The name Benjamin means “son of the right hand” and is of Hebrew origin.
What is the origin of the name Benjamin?+
Benjamin originates from Hebrew.
Is Benjamin a popular name?+
Yes — see the popularity note above for how Benjamin has trended in the US over time.
Benjamin by gender
More boy's names
Sources
- Behind the Name — Etymology and history of first names — Behind the Name
- US Social Security Administration — Popular baby names by year — Social Security Administration
- A Dictionary of First Names — Oxford Reference — Oxford University Press