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At a Glance: Name: Benson – Meaning: from the Oxfordshire place name Bensington; popularly reinterpreted as 'son of Ben' – Origin: English (surname/place name) – Gender: Neutral – Pronunciation: BEN-sun
Benson is a gender-neutral name of English origin, pronounced BEN-sun (/ˈbɛnsən/). It traces back to the Oxfordshire place name Bensington — despite the popular claim that it means 'son of Ben,' that's folk etymology, since Wiktionary derives it from the place name rather than from 'Ben's son.' It carries a classic feel among name styles.
Meaning & Origin of Benson
Meaning: From the oxfordshire place name bensington; popularly reinterpreted as 'son of ben'.
Origin: English (surname/place name).
A common claim: Widely said to mean 'son of Ben.' Actually: Benson comes from the English place name Bensington, in Oxfordshire, not literally 'son of Ben,' though that's a popular reinterpretation.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Benson
Phonetic: BEN-sun IPA: /ˈbɛnsən/
Popularity of Benson
In Social Security data going back to 1887, Benson peaked at #428 in 2016 with 729 babies given the name, and most recently ranked #435 in 2024 with a count of 727.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1887–2024.
Make Benson Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Benson, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Benson mean?
From the oxfordshire place name bensington; popularly reinterpreted as ‘son of ben’. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Benson)
How do you pronounce Benson?
Benson is pronounced BEN-sun (IPA: /ˈbɛnsən/).
Is Benson a popular name right now?
Benson is near its all-time peak (#428 in 2016), ranked #435 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1887–2024.)
📊 How popular is Benson? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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