Benji
Boy name · #1342 in 2025 · Uniqueness 55/100
Benji is currently the #1342 boy name in the United States — 142 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2355, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 12,676 boys born in 2025 was named Benji.
Babies named Benji per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 73-year story
Benji first appears in the Social Security records in 1952, when 7 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1975, when 168 boys were named Benji — good for #622 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Benji against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Benji in class?
Benji scores 55 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Benji is most common
Geography matters for names, and Benji is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Benjis were CA (23), OH (11), TX (11), PA (9), MA (8). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Benji
Statistically, parents drawn to Benji tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Judd, Lenny, Giuseppe, Abdul, and Hasani.
JuddLennyGiuseppeAbdulHasaniTomaFlintHakim
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Benji | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 142 | #1341 |
| 2024 | 105 | #1620 |
| 2023 | 108 | #1608 |
| 2022 | 130 | #1414 |
| 2021 | 82 | #1870 |
| 2020 | 103 | #1579 |
| 2019 | 76 | #1938 |
| 2018 | 73 | #1994 |
| 2017 | 66 | #2091 |
| 2016 | 49 | #2551 |
| 2015 | 55 | #2355 |
| 2014 | 44 | #2705 |
| 2013 | 29 | #3582 |
| 2012 | 19 | #4862 |
| 2011 | 19 | #4822 |
| 2010 | 24 | #4099 |
| 2009 | 19 | #4922 |
| 2008 | 14 | #6070 |
| 2007 | 17 | #5210 |
| 2006 | 16 | #5303 |
| 2005 | 16 | #5034 |
| 2004 | 8 | #8143 |
| 2003 | 11 | #6258 |
| 2002 | 12 | #5725 |
| 2001 | 8 | #7536 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Benji a popular boy name?
Benji ranked #1342 among boys in 2025 with 142 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2355.
When was the name Benji most popular?
Benji peaked in 1975, when 168 American boys received the name (ranked #622 that year). Since 1975 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Benji?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 12,676 newborn American boys was named Benji. It scores 55/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.