A 1970s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Benji since 1952
Babies named Benji per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 64 |
| 1960s | 150 |
| 1970s | 566 |
| 1980s | 157 |
| 1990s | 87 |
| 2000s | 137 |
| 2010s | 454 |
| 2020s | 670 |
Meaning & origin
Benji entered the U.S. Social Security data in 1952 and reached its peak popularity in 1975, likely boosted by the canine star of the 1974 film 'Benji.' After declining for decades, the name has been steadily rising again since 1998. It remains most popular in Massachusetts, Ohio, and Washington. The name is primarily used for boys and is rarely given to girls.
Benji originated as a pet form of Benjamin, a Hebrew name from Binyamin, meaning 'son of the right hand' or 'son of the south.' In the Old Testament, Benjamin was the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel. The nickname Benji became an independent given name in the 20th century, particularly popular in English-speaking countries, and gained further recognition through the 1970s film 'Benji.'
Where Benji is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Benji” around the world
Where Benji lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
10
babies in 2024
Ireland
3
babies in 2025
New Zealand
27
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand).
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Benji
Names that share Benji's style, for a brother or sister.
