unisex name · in the US
Bennie
BEN-ee (English)
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Unisex (US)
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 62,816
Bennie means son of the right hand, and Jacob renamed the child to get there — his dying mother called him son of my sorrow, and his father would not let the name stand.
- Bennie is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 1929, when 1,215 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 29,082 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Bennie Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 593 |
| 1890s | 1,132 |
| 1900s | 1,828 |
| 1910s | 6,814 |
| 1920s | 10,692 |
| 1930s | 10,881 |
| 1940s | 10,353 |
| 1950s | 8,200 |
| 1960s | 4,936 |
| 1970s | 2,780 |
| 1980s | 1,756 |
| 1990s | 1,028 |
| 2000s | 631 |
| 2010s | 552 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 513 |
What Bennie Means
Bennie means son of the right hand, carried from Benjamin. The Hebrew right hand signified favor and strength, so the name marks a favored son rather than a physical trait.
Where Bennie Comes From
Bennie is a pet form of Benjamin, the Hebrew Binyamin — ben, son, joined to yamin, the right hand, which stood for favor, strength and the south. Genesis has Rachel name the child Ben-oni, son of my sorrow, as she dies in childbirth, and Jacob immediately rename him Binyamin. It is one of the few places in the Hebrew Bible where a name is overruled on the spot.
Bennie in Use
Bennie peaked in the United States in 1929, when 1,215 babies were registered, and it is reviving. It now ranks 1,957th in England and Wales on 13 births and 2,528th in the United States on 114, across 62,816 lifetime births in two markets. About 16 percent of recorded births are female.
How Popular Is Bennie?
In 2025, Bennie was given to 114 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Bennie Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Bennie
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Bennie Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Bennie over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Bennie is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- United States Both 32% girls · 733 babies
- England & Wales Boys' 5% girls · 102 babies
How to Say Bennie
- English BEN-ee /ˈbɛn.i/
Bennie in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Bennie
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Bennie — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Bennie
What does the name Bennie mean?
Son of the right hand — from Benjamin, where the right hand signified favor.
What was Benjamin first called?
Ben-oni, son of my sorrow, named by Rachel as she died. Jacob renamed him at once.
Is Bennie a boys' name?
Mostly — about 16 percent of recorded births are female.
Is Bennie coming back?
It is reviving, at 2,528th in the United States.
How popular is the name Bennie?
In 2025, Bennie was given to 114 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
How many syllables are in Bennie?
Bennie has 2 syllables.
When was Bennie most popular?
Bennie peaked in 1929, when 1,215 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Bennie a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Bennie currently ranks #1,957 in the United States. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.