Benjamin is a name of Hebrew origin that means "son of the right hand". It is derived from the Hebrew word ben, meaning "son", and the word yamin, which means "right hand". In biblical times, being the son of the right hand meant being favored or beloved by God.
The name Benjamin first appears in the Bible as one of the twelve sons of Jacob. He was the youngest son of Rachel, who died giving birth to him. Despite his mother's death, Benjamin grew up to be a leader among his brothers and eventually became the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Throughout history, many notable figures have borne the name Benjamin. Some examples include Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States, and Benjamin Netanyahu, the current Prime Minister of Israel. The name has also been used in literature, such as in Charles Dickens' novel "Bleak House", where it is the given name of one of the main characters.
In terms of popularity, Benjamin has consistently ranked among the most popular boy names in many English-speaking countries over the past few decades. It was particularly popular during the 1990s and early 2000s but has since fallen slightly in popularity. Despite this, it remains a widely recognized and beloved name with deep historical roots.
The name Benjamyn experienced a significant rise in popularity from the late 20th century onwards, with a notable increase starting around the year 2000. The highest number of births recorded was in 2007 and 2013, with both years seeing 19 newborns named Benjamyn. Overall, there were 386 babies named Benjamyn between 1978 and 2023.