With more than 146,000 carriers in 2025, this male first name appears in the Top 200 in France. Heir to a biblical tradition, it still seduces with its timeless sound and its rich history.
A biblical first name with deep roots
Of Hebrew origin, Benjamin means “son of the South”. In the Old Testament, he is carried by the last son of Jacob and Rachel. Rachel, dying during childbirth, had first appointed him Ben Oni (“son of my pain”). Jacob, refusing an overly tragic meaning, chooses a brighter first name, announcing the line of the youngest, to which Saul belonged, first king of Israel.
This first name was then imposed in Jewish traditions around the world, before being taken over in the Middle Ages by Christian families, notably thanks to the cult of Saint Benjamin, a Persian martyr of the 5th century.
A dazzling ascent in the 20th century
Very rare until the 1970s, this first name then experienced a spectacular progression in France. In the space of two decades, it climbs in the top 10 parental choices. In 1992, he even reached his record year of attribution, becoming one of the flagship names of the end of the 20th century.
Today, it is maintained in an honorable rank: in the 50th more worn in 2022 (with around 150,000 French) and still in the top 200 births in 2025. Rare longevity in the changing landscape of first names.
Variants, character and popular culture
Among its variants are Benji, Bunyamin or Bunyamine. Side character, the book The official first names He associates him with audacity, energy, discovery and determination.
This first name is also illustrated in contemporary culture: the writer Daniel Pennac gave life to the famous character of Benjamin Malaussène, tender and charismatic scapegoat, a central figure of a colorful siblings.
A party in the spring
The bearers of this first name are celebrated on March 31, in memory of Saint Benjamin. A tribute which recalls the seniority and the symbolic force of a first name that is both traditional and always relevant.