Find out how popular the first name Benny has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Benny by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Benny is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 99% of people named Benny being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 209 male babies and 9 female babies born with the name Benny.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 9 baby girls were named Benny in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Benny

The name Benny is a diminutive form of the name Benjamin, which is derived from the Hebrew name בִּנְיָמִין (Binyamin). The name Benjamin means "son of the right hand" or "son of the south" in Hebrew. It is a biblical name that first appeared in the Old Testament as the name of the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel.

The name Benny emerged as a nickname for Benjamin in the Middle Ages, particularly in English-speaking countries. It was often used as an affectionate or informal form of the name Benjamin.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Benny can be found in the 16th century. In 1560, Benny Whetstone was listed as a resident of Wiltshire, England, in the parish records.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Benny. One of the most famous was Benny Goodman (1909-1986), an American jazz clarinetist and bandleader known as the "King of Swing." He was a leading figure in the Swing era of the 1930s and 1940s and helped popularize jazz music among a wider audience.

Another notable Benny was Benny Hill (1924-1992), an English comedian and actor best known for his long-running comedy television show "The Benny Hill Show." He was renowned for his slapstick humor and often controversial sketches.

In the world of sports, Benny Parsons (1941-2007) was a famous American NASCAR driver who won the NASCAR Championship in 1973. He later worked as a television commentator for NASCAR broadcasts.

Benny Binion (1904-1989) was a notorious American gambling icon and founder of the Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas. He was influential in the development of the Las Vegas Strip and helped shape the city's gambling industry.

Benny Leonard (1896-1947), also known as "The Ghetto Wizard," was a famous American professional boxer who held the lightweight championship from 1917 to 1925. He was regarded as one of the greatest lightweight boxers of all time.

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 Benny was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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