The story behind Benjamin
From Late Latin Benjamin, from Ancient Greek Βενιαμίν (Beniamín), from Biblical Hebrew בִּנְיָמִין (binyamīn, literally “son of the right/south or son of days”). Authorities differ on the meaning of the original Hebrew. Philo of Alexandria, the Samaritan Pentateuch The Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs and Midrash Leḳaḥ-Ṭob understand יָמִין to mean "days" (a meaning attested in Daniel 12:13) understanding the name to mean "son of days (i.e. old age)" (compare to the direct translations into Arabic بِنْ يَومِين (bin yawmīn) "son of the days" and Arabic بِنْ يَمِين (bin yamīn) "son of the right hand"), a formula paraphrased in Genesis 40:22 where Benjamin is described as a child of Jacob's old age. Rashi in his commentary on Genesis also gives this as a possible meaning but favors an understanding of יָמִין to mean "right" in the sense of "the south", noting that Benjamin was the only son of Jacob born in the south. Jerome understood the name to mean "son of the right hand" and Gesenius speculated that this expression might have meant "son of good fortune".
Other language forms and explanations (2)
Dutch entry
From Middle Dutch benjamin, from Late Latin Benjamin, from Ancient Greek Βενιαμίν (Beniamín), from Biblical Hebrew בִּנְיָמִין (binyamīn, literally “son of the right/south or son of days”).
Finnish entry
From Late Latin Benjamin, from Ancient Greek Βενιαμίν (Beniamín), from Biblical Hebrew בִּנְיָמִין (binyamīn, literally “son of the right (hand)”).
Pronunciation
General-American: /ˈbɛnd͡ʒəmɪn/
Regional pronunciation variants
- General-American: /ˈbɛnd͡ʒɚmɪn/
- US, pin-pen-merger: /ˈbɪnd͡ʒəmɪn/
- US, pin-pen-merger: /ˈbɪnd͡ʒɚmɪn/
- Australia: /ˈbend͡ʒəmɪn/
- New-Zealand: /ˈbend͡ʒəmən/
- Dutch: /ˈbɛn.jaːˌmɪn/
- Finnish: /ˈbenjɑmin/
- Finnish: [ˈbe̞njɑ̝min]
Popularity
Benjamin ranked #11099 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Benjamin
Benjamín
Borrowed from Late Latin Benjamin, from Ancient Greek Βενιαμίν (Beniamín), from Biblical Hebrew בִּנְיָמִין (binyamīn). From Late Latin Benjamin, from Ancient Greek Βενιαμίν…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Benjámin
From Hebrew בִּנְיָמִין (Binyamín).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Benxamín
From Late Latin Benjamin, from Ancient Greek Βενιαμίν (Beniamín), from Biblical Hebrew בִּנְיָמִין (binyamīn).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Bertalan
From Ancient Greek Βαρθολομαῖος (Bartholomaîos), from Aramaic בר and תלמי.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Agathon
From Ancient Greek Ἀγάθων (Agáthōn).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Aharon
Transliteration of Hebrew אהרן (Ahărōn).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Benjamin
Aamos
Ultimately from Biblical Hebrew עמוס (Amos).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Aarão
From Latin Aarōn, from Hebrew אַהֲרֹן ('aharón). Doublet of Faro.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Aaron
From Latin Aaron, from Ancient Greek Ἀαρών (Aarṓn), from Hebrew אַהֲרֹן (ʾAhărōn), of unknown meaning, possibly meaning “bearer of martyrs”, or perhaps also, or instead,…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Benjamin
Aabraham
From Biblical Hebrew אברהם ('aḇrāhām), of Biblical origin.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Aapeli
Vernacular form of the biblical Abel or Aabel, from Biblical Hebrew הֶבֶל (Héḇel).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends I
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abdiasz
Learned borrowing from Latin Abdias, from Ancient Greek Ἀβδίας (Abdías), from Hebrew עובדיה.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Z
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length