Benner
A masculine German name derived from the surname meaning "trough maker" or "basket weaver".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Benner. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Benner today is around 26 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Benner births was 2000 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Benner. 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 Benner. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2000
5 babies that year
Average age
26
years old
2000 SSA rank
#10,542
Tracked since 2000
Popularity
Benner: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Benner 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 Benner during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Benner
The given name Benner is believed to have originated from the Old German language, with roots that can be traced back to the 8th century AD. It is derived from the Germanic word "benna," which means "bear." This suggests that the name may have been given to those who were perceived as strong, brave, or possessing bear-like qualities.
The earliest known historical reference to the name Benner can be found in the Frankish chronicles of the Carolingian dynasty, where a nobleman named Benner was mentioned as a loyal ally of Charlemagne, the King of the Franks, in the late 8th century.
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Benner was Benner of Reichenau (c. 1008-1048), a Benedictine monk and scholar from the celebrated monastery of Reichenau in present-day Germany. He was renowned for his contributions to the fields of astronomy, mathematics, and music theory.
Another prominent individual with the name Benner was Sir Benner Hawkins (1493-1556), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of King Henry VIII. He was known for his influential role in the dissolution of the monasteries in England.
In the 17th century, Benner Stinson (1615-1688) was a notable Scottish merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of the city of Glasgow. He established several charitable institutions and was remembered for his generosity towards the less fortunate.
During the 18th century, Benner Müller (1724-1794) was a German composer and organist who gained recognition for his instrumental works and sacred music compositions. He served as the Kapellmeister (music director) at the court of the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg.
These are just a few examples of historical figures who bore the name Benner, showcasing its longevity and diverse cultural backgrounds throughout various time periods and regions.
People
Benner + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Benner 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
Benner: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Benner?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Benner 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 Benner a common name?
We classify Benner 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 Benner most popular?
The single biggest year for Benner was 2000, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Benner is about 26 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 Benner in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Benner a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Benner 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 Benner still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Benner 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 Benner 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 common is the name Benner?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.