Ben
Every Ben since 1880 — 85,816 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ben
Ben is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #843 in 2025 with 292 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 85,816 American babies have been named Ben. Its peak came in 1918, when 1,293 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Ben stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ben year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 292 | #843 |
| 2024 | — | — | 314 | #800 |
| 2023 | — | — | 311 | #797 |
| 2022 | — | — | 330 | #765 |
| 2021 | — | — | 327 | #765 |
| 2020 | — | — | 313 | #768 |
| 2019 | — | — | 339 | #720 |
| 2018 | — | — | 351 | #692 |
| 2017 | — | — | 327 | #732 |
| 2016 | — | — | 354 | #698 |
| 2015 | — | — | 331 | #736 |
| 2014 | — | — | 336 | #718 |
| 2013 | — | — | 310 | #746 |
| 2012 | — | — | 311 | #743 |
| 2011 | — | — | 344 | #687 |
| 2010 | — | — | 337 | #692 |
| 2009 | — | — | 389 | #644 |
| 2008 | — | — | 405 | #613 |
| 2007 | — | — | 409 | #611 |
| 2006 | — | — | 455 | #551 |
| 2005 | — | — | 447 | #541 |
| 2004 | — | — | 454 | #526 |
| 2003 | — | — | 440 | #528 |
| 2002 | — | — | 408 | #542 |
| 2001 | — | — | 394 | #546 |
| 2000 | — | — | 376 | #559 |
| 1995 | — | — | 322 | #569 |
| 1990 | — | — | 367 | #515 |
| 1985 | — | — | 428 | #411 |
| 1980 | 5 | #10,544 | 518 | #349 |
| 1975 | 5 | #9,201 | 603 | #307 |
| 1970 | — | — | 620 | #316 |
| 1965 | 5 | #6,612 | 727 | #276 |
| 1960 | 6 | #5,755 | 954 | #257 |
| 1955 | — | — | 735 | #253 |
| 1950 | 5 | #5,359 | 721 | #250 |
| 1945 | 5 | #4,607 | 717 | #201 |
| 1940 | — | — | 814 | #178 |
| 1935 | 13 | #2,315 | 891 | #161 |
| 1930 | 8 | #3,383 | 987 | #154 |
| 1925 | 17 | #2,203 | 1,041 | #153 |
| 1920 | 16 | #2,276 | 1,138 | #137 |
| 1915 | 8 | #3,167 | 1,263 | #113 |
| 1910 | — | — | 454 | #79 |
| 1905 | — | — | 290 | #84 |
| 1900 | — | — | 355 | #73 |
| 1895 | — | — | 324 | #63 |
| 1890 | — | — | 363 | #54 |
| 1885 | — | — | 292 | #62 |
| 1880 | — | — | 305 | #58 |
Famous people named Ben
- Ben Kingsley Actor · b. 1943
- Ben Affleck Actor · b. 1972
- Ben Jonson Writer · 1572–1637
- Ben Roy Mottelson Physicist · b. 1926
- Ben E. King Singer · 1938–2015
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Ben in 2025?
Ben ranked #843 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 292 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Ben?
85,816 babies have been named Ben in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ben most popular?
Ben peaked in 1918, when 1,293 newborns received the name.
Is Ben a boy or girl name?
Ben is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Ben rising or falling?
Ben has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Ben?
Well-known people named Ben include Ben Kingsley (actor), Ben Affleck (actor), Ben Jonson (writer).