Find out how popular the first name Benning has been for the last 4 years (from 2016 to 2019) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Benning by gender

Based on the last 4 years of data, Benning is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2019, there were 7 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Benning.

The history of the first name Benning

The given name Benning has its roots in the Old English language, originating from the word "bening," which means "prayer" or "request." This name gained popularity during the Anglo-Saxon period in England, which spanned from the 5th to the 11th century AD.

One of the earliest known references to the name Benning can be found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a historical record of the Anglo-Saxon people. The chronicle mentions a Benning who served as a thegn (a powerful landowner or nobleman) in the court of King Edward the Confessor in the 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name Benning was particularly common among the English gentry and nobility. One notable figure was Benning Wentworth (1696-1770), a colonial governor of New Hampshire and a member of the prominent Wentworth family.

In the realm of literature, the name Benning appears in several works from the 16th and 17th centuries. Sir Philip Sidney's pastoral romance "Arcadia," written in the late 16th century, features a character named Benning, a shepherd.

Moving forward in time, Benning Wentworth (1737-1808), the grandson of the aforementioned colonial governor, played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War. He served as a brigadier general in the Continental Army and was involved in the Battle of Bennington in 1777.

Another historical figure bearing the name Benning was Benning Wentworth Pierse (1802-1858), a prominent American politician who served as a United States Congressman from Mississippi in the mid-19th century.

While the name Benning has fallen out of widespread use in recent times, it holds a rich historical legacy, particularly in the English-speaking world, spanning from the medieval period to the early days of the United States.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Benning was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Benning, please contact us.

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