Benje
A contracted form of Benjamin, meaning 'son of my right hand'.
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Benje. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Benje today is around 67 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Benje births was 1955 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Benje. 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
- • The typical person named Benje is about 67 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Benjes were born before 1969.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Benje. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1955
5 babies that year
Average age
67
years old
1955 SSA rank
#3,929
Tracked since 1955
Popularity
Benje: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Benje 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 Benje during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Benje
The given name Benje is believed to have originated from the Old Norse language, which was spoken by the Germanic people who inhabited Scandinavia and parts of northern Europe during the Viking Age (8th to 11th centuries). It is thought to be derived from the Old Norse word "benda," which means "to bend" or "to curve."
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Benje can be found in the Icelandic sagas, which were written in the 13th and 14th centuries. These sagas are a collection of prose narratives that recount the lives and adventures of Norse heroes, kings, and warriors. While the name itself is not widely mentioned, it is believed to have been used as a personal name during this time period.
In the 16th century, a Norwegian explorer named Benje Thorvaldsson (c. 1520-1590) gained fame for his voyages to the Arctic regions. He is credited with being one of the first Europeans to explore and map the northern coast of Russia and parts of Siberia. His name is recorded in various historical documents and accounts from that time.
Another noteworthy figure with the name Benje was Benje Andersson (1781-1858), a Swedish botanist and naturalist. He made significant contributions to the study of plant life in Scandinavia and authored several books on the subject, including "Flora Svecica" (Swedish Flora).
In the 20th century, Benje Lundgren (1899-1978) was a Swedish actor and director who appeared in numerous films and stage productions throughout his career. He is particularly remembered for his roles in several Swedish adaptations of Shakespeare's plays.
Benje Fallshaw (1936-2018) was an Australian artist known for his paintings and sculptures that explored themes of the natural world and the human condition. His works were exhibited in galleries across Australia and internationally, and he received numerous awards and accolades for his contributions to the arts.
While the name Benje is not as common today as it once was, it holds a rich historical significance, particularly in the Nordic countries where it originated. Its connection to the Old Norse language and the Viking era adds a sense of cultural heritage and tradition to this unique name.
People
Benje + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Benje 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
Benje: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Benje?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Benje 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 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Benje a common name?
We classify Benje as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% 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 Benje most popular?
The single biggest year for Benje was 1955, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Benje is about 67 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 Benje in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Benje a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Benje 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 Benje still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Benje 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 Benje 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 have Benje as a first name?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.