Ben
BEN /bɛn/
Meaning of Ben
Ben is used both as a stand-alone name and as a short form of Benjamin (Hebrew: 'son of the right hand') or Benedict (Latin: 'blessed'). In Germany, Ben has been used as an independent registered name since the 1990s and rose to become a top-5 boys' name. In English-speaking countries it functions similarly — either as the registered name or as the everyday form of Benjamin.
Current popularity of Ben
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Germany (GfdS) | 2024 | #6 |
| United Kingdom (ONS) | 2024 | #40 |
| Netherlands (SVB) | 2024 | #6 |
Cultural notes
Ben is now given as the birth-certificate name far more often than as a diminutive in German registries — a trend also visible in the UK from the 2010s.
Notable bearers of Ben
Ben Franklin (as a nickname); Ben Affleck; Big Ben (bell in the Elizabeth Tower, Westminster).
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Ben — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31