Benny
Every Benny since 1882 — 49,144 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Benny
Benny is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #841 in 2025 with 293 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1882, 49,144 American babies have been named Benny. Its peak came in 1948, when 1,074 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
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 Benny stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Benny 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 | 32 | #4,371 | 293 | #841 |
| 2024 | 11 | #9,035 | 267 | #888 |
| 2023 | 9 | #10,448 | 209 | #1,044 |
| 2022 | 11 | #9,150 | 211 | #1,045 |
| 2021 | 6 | #13,757 | 217 | #1,008 |
| 2020 | 6 | #13,730 | 170 | #1,144 |
| 2019 | — | — | 161 | #1,189 |
| 2018 | — | — | 148 | #1,244 |
| 2017 | — | — | 131 | #1,360 |
| 2016 | — | — | 122 | #1,422 |
| 2015 | 5 | #16,860 | 118 | #1,438 |
| 2014 | 5 | #16,967 | 140 | #1,273 |
| 2013 | — | — | 142 | #1,245 |
| 2012 | — | — | 135 | #1,293 |
| 2011 | — | — | 149 | #1,186 |
| 2010 | — | — | 153 | #1,179 |
| 2009 | — | — | 149 | #1,212 |
| 2008 | — | — | 155 | #1,166 |
| 2007 | — | — | 193 | #1,002 |
| 2006 | — | — | 193 | #963 |
| 2005 | — | — | 167 | #1,013 |
| 2004 | — | — | 181 | #935 |
| 2003 | — | — | 161 | #984 |
| 2002 | — | — | 193 | #860 |
| 2001 | — | — | 165 | #942 |
| 2000 | — | — | 192 | #835 |
| 1995 | — | — | 182 | #796 |
| 1990 | — | — | 203 | #714 |
| 1985 | — | — | 213 | #599 |
| 1980 | 6 | #9,202 | 297 | #491 |
| 1975 | 5 | #9,203 | 325 | #437 |
| 1970 | 5 | #8,093 | 384 | #415 |
| 1965 | 8 | #4,862 | 514 | #334 |
| 1960 | 11 | #3,934 | 784 | #282 |
| 1955 | 14 | #3,107 | 822 | #245 |
| 1950 | 7 | #4,353 | 875 | #215 |
| 1945 | 11 | #2,751 | 822 | #187 |
| 1940 | 10 | #2,752 | 814 | #179 |
| 1935 | 12 | #2,447 | 678 | #190 |
| 1930 | 13 | #2,431 | 533 | #237 |
| 1925 | 14 | #2,500 | 394 | #289 |
| 1920 | 7 | #4,000 | 272 | #362 |
| 1915 | — | — | 210 | #371 |
| 1910 | — | — | 47 | #376 |
| 1905 | — | — | 27 | #411 |
| 1900 | — | — | 31 | #402 |
| 1895 | — | — | 10 | #692 |
| 1890 | — | — | 7 | #816 |
| 1885 | — | — | 9 | #649 |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Benny
- Benny Hill Actor · 1924–1992
- Benny Goodman Musician · 1909–1986
- Benny Gantz Politician · b. 1959
- Benny Golson Musician · b. 1929
- Benny Carter Musician · 1907–2003
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Benny in 2025?
Benny ranked #841 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 293 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Benny?
49,144 babies have been named Benny in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Benny most popular?
Benny peaked in 1948, when 1,074 newborns received the name.
Is Benny a boy or girl name?
Benny is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Benny rising or falling?
Benny is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Benny?
Well-known people named Benny include Benny Hill (actor), Benny Goodman (musician), Benny Gantz (politician).