Skip to content
babynames.ie

Benny

Say it: BEN-ee/ˈbɛni/

BoyMeans a pet form of Benjamin, which means "son of the right hand"5 letters2 syllables

#329

in Ireland (2025)

#319 with spellings combined

12

babies in 2025

#308

best rank (2023)

69

babies since 2005

Benny through the years

Compare with another name →
Benny: babies per year in Ireland, 1964 to 2025051015196419701980199020002010202020251998: CSO series changePeak 2023: 13
Benny: rank per year in Ireland, 1964 to 2025#1#10#50#100#250#500#1000196419701980199020002010202020251998: CSO series change
Benny: per 10,000 boys per year in Ireland, 1964 to 20250246196419701980199020002010202020251998: CSO series change
Babies per 10,000 boys listed by the CSO that year, which evens out changes in the number of births.
Show the numbers
YearBabies (boys)Rank
202512#319
20249#379
202313#308
20229#393
20214#603
20204#606
20195#537
20184#597
20173#710
20163#713
20053#518

Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.

★ What does Benny mean?

A pet form of Benjamin, which means "son of the right hand"

English, a pet form of Benjamin, and sometimes of Benedict or Bernard.

Say it right

BENee

The story of Benny

Benny began as a pet form of Benjamin, made by shortening the name and adding the friendly ending -y. Benjamin itself comes from Hebrew and is usually explained as “son of the right hand”. Benny has also been used for boys called Benedict, Bernard or Benson, and as a nickname for girls called Bernice or Bernadette.

It has a long history as a nickname and a stage name. The American jazz clarinettist Benny Goodman, born Benjamin, made it familiar in the twentieth century.

As a registered first name in Ireland, Benny is new. It first appears in the CSO records in 2005, and for years it was given to only a handful of boys. It picked up in the 2020s. Its best year was 2023, with 13 boys, and in 2025 there were 12.

Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.

Sources
  • Wiktionary: Benny (English proper noun)
  • Wikipedia: Benny
  • CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences

At a glance

Similar names

BenLennyTeddySonny

Sibling ideas

MaggieNellHallie

Spellings counted here

Spelling2025All years
Benny1269

In Northern Ireland

Not in the 2025 list. Best rank #312 (2023); 8 babies since 2018.

Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.