Bender
The given name "Bender" is of German origin meaning "cylindrical, pliable maker".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Bender. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Bender today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Bender births was 2017 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Bender. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Bender. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2017
5 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2017 SSA rank
#12,498
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Bender: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Bender by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Bender during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Bender
The name Bender has its origins in the German language and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the German word "binden," which means "to bind" or "to tie." The name likely referred to someone who worked as a binder or rope maker.
In the early Middle Ages, the name Bender was most commonly found in the regions of present-day Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It was a common occupational surname given to those who specialized in making ropes, cords, and bindings for various purposes, such as shipbuilding, construction, and farming.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bender can be found in a 14th-century document from the city of Nuremberg, Germany. The document mentions a person named Bender who was a member of the local guild of rope makers.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Bender. One of the most famous was Hans Bender (1907-1992), a German parapsychologist and researcher of extrasensory perception. He founded the Institute for Parapsychology and Border Areas of Psychology in Freiburg, Germany, and authored numerous books on the subject.
Another notable Bender was Oskar Bender (1888-1939), an Austrian artist and painter known for his landscapes and portraits. His works are displayed in several museums across Europe.
In the realm of literature, the name Bender is associated with the American writer John Bender (1943-2021), known for his novel "The Accidental Buddhist" and his work as a professor of English at Stanford University.
Another prominent figure with the name Bender was Albert Bender (1896-1968), an American businessman and philanthropist. He founded the Bender Company, a successful construction firm, and was known for his philanthropic contributions to various causes, including education and healthcare.
The name Bender has also been associated with historical figures from other cultures. For example, in the 16th century, there was a Japanese samurai named Bender Jiro, who served under the renowned warlord Oda Nobunaga.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have borne the name Bender throughout history. While the name has its roots in the German language, it has been embraced by people from various cultures and backgrounds, reflecting the diversity and richness of human history.
People
Bender + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Bender as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Bender: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Bender?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Bender going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Bender a common name?
We classify Bender as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Bender most popular?
The single biggest year for Bender was 2017, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Bender is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Bender in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Bender a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Bender in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Bender still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Bender in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Bender can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Bender?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.