MEANING & HISTORY
What does Ben mean?
Ben has several documented bases. Benjamin contains Hebrew son and right-hand or south elements; Benedict comes from Latin blessed.
Ben can also shorten other names, including Bernhard in Dutch. The complete meanings of those longer names are alternatives rather than one compound hidden in the short spelling.
References for this explanation
Common nicknames
These source-documented links describe name usage, not national frequency. Some apply to a particular public bearer; families may use other nicknames.
Open nickname finder →Pronunciation & syllables
Synthetic voice reading
Origin and name formation
Hebrew / Latin
Dictionary accounts by language
Cebuano
From English Ben.
a male given name from English
Wiktionary contributors via Kaikki/Wiktextract; common glosses translated for Filipino.
People with the name Ben
DOCUMENTED NAMESAKE
Ben Feleo
Filipino film director and screenwriter (1926–2011)
DOCUMENTED NAMESAKE
Ben Villaflor
Filipino boxer
Descriptions: Wikidata contributors (CC0).
Similar names to Ben
Explore names with a similar opening or ending.
Names in this collection
- Bea♀Short form of Beatrix or Beata
- Beau♂Beautiful or handsome in French
- Beda♂Latinized Bede; possibly connected with prayer
- Bela♂♀Béla-related and Slavic name forms have separate roots
- Belen♀Bethlehem-name form; also a Belinda nickname
- Belén♀Bethlehem; the Hebrew place-name house of bread
- Benny♂Familiar form of Benjamin or Benedict
- Bert♂Short form of names containing bright-name element bert
Recorded combinations with Ben
1 source-reported compound forms include this name as a component. Each part keeps its own history.
Names in this collection
Explore combinations →Explore Ben further
Records & sources
Recorded use
- OpenHalalan / COMELEC · 2001
- 8 elected-candidate records ·
BEN
· CSV row 1,290 · ODbL 1.0 - Wikidata
- 16 person records with this given name · Q816407 · CC0
These records document use of the spelling; they are separate from birth statistics.
Follow the sources
- OpenHalalan — pinned 2001 COMELEC transcription (opens in a new tab)
- COMELEC — 2001 List of Elected Candidates (opens in a new tab)
- COMELEC — 2001 List of Elected Candidates (opens in a new tab)
- Wikidata given-name item Q816407 — Ben (opens in a new tab)
- Wikidata — Ben Villaflor (opens in a new tab)
- Wikidata — Ben Feleo (opens in a new tab)
- Wiktionary contributors — Ben (Cebuano) (opens in a new tab)
- Behind the Name — Ben (opens in a new tab)
- Behind the Name — Benjamin (opens in a new tab)
- Behind the Name — Benedict (opens in a new tab)