Benjamin - too popular?

Wondering how much you hear Benjamin? I know it’s ranked #7 in the US, so very popular, and we normally try to steer clear of very popular names. So I’ve honestly never considered whether using a very popular name would really bother me or not. But Benjamin has been always been a favorite and suddenly it feels possibly just right for this baby (due today!!).

Now I’m struggling with the great dilemma of whether to ignore the popularity and use a name you love OR go with another name that isn’t overly saturated already.

We currently live in Europe, so I don’t hear it at all, but there’s a very good chance will return to the US in the next few years, so considering its popularity there.

Blaise is our other top name.

Middle name(s) will likely be Kristian, Augustine, Alois, Aleksander, or Johannes.

Edited to add: Any suggestions for names that also have Benjamin’s friendly, approachable, timeless appeal, but maybe less popular?

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I’m in the UK so I’m not sure how helpful it is in regards to the US, but in my years working with kids (first 3-10 yr olds, now teens), I have only met one little [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] - he’d be about 8 now. It does rank at 40 here, but I haven’t heard it being called recently either.

I guess one plus of [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] is that it has various nicknames - [name_m]Benny[/name_m], [name_m]Benji[/name_m], [name_u]Jem[/name_u], [name_m]Jam[/name_m], [name_m]Ben[/name_m] etc that could make it feel more unique if there was another in his class.

I do like [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] as a name, but I must admit I like [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] more. Still, maybe wait to meet him and see if he’s a [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] or a [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] :slight_smile:

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I always had multiple boys named [name_m]Ben[/name_m] in my classes growing up. The name is overused, imo, maybe not in my life but in history in general. I’m tired of it. It’s also not my style at all, so that influences it.

I also much prefer [name_u]Blaise[/name_u]. It’s on my own list! I’d much rather meet a [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] than another [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u], but at the end of the day, it’s more important what you like.

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I dont hear of it that often, and I’m in the [name_u]Southern[/name_u] US. But I do come across [name_m]Ben[/name_m], [name_m]Benji[/name_m], and/or [name_m]Benny[/name_m] a few times. It’s such a classic and handsome choice, but I do feel like it’s a bit overused in general, like [name_u]William[/name_u] & [name_u]James[/name_u] are for example.

I think [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] is a striking & cool choice though, & [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] [name_u]Augustine[/name_u] is perfection! :heart_eyes:

Ultimately, whatever your heart is set on is the choice you should go with!

I would ignore the popularity and use the name you love. :slight_smile:

Yes, Benjamin is very common, but it’s popular for a reason. The name is a classic with many notable bearers and timeless appeal. I don’t think you can really go wrong with such a name – especially if it’s the name you love!

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I love the name [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u], but it is very, very common. There are several in my grade and in my own family (3 cousins, varying in age from 3-30).

However, I don’t think that should stop you from using it if you love it! [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] is a very solid and timeless name that fits on any sort of boy. If it feels right for this baby, then who cares how popular it is?

Btw, I think [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] [name_u]Augustine[/name_u] is a great combo!

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I think that although a name’s popularity can be a bit annoying at times, it isn’t actually as big of a deal as it sometimes seems. Now, even the most popular names only make up a very small portion of all babies born, unlike several decades or centuries ago when the top names were a significant portion of the population. I also think that for [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] specifically it might be less noticeable than for other names because it is unique in sound/origin from other popular names, whereas names like [name_u]Jack[/name_u] and [name_u]Jackson[/name_u] and [name_m]Jacob[/name_m] or [name_u]William[/name_u] and [name_u]Liam[/name_u] and [name_u]Wilson[/name_u] seem more popular because they share nicknames and such. Additionally, I agree with other posters that the plethora of nicknames makes differentiating your [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] from others easier.
Personally, I think [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] is lovely and prefer it slightly over [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] (though the latter has grown on me recently), but you should go with the name that you love and suits your little one.

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Thanks! That’s very helpful. Our kids are currently in a British International school, and we don’t hear [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] at all - I can’t remember any, honestly, and my older kids range from 4 to 16.

I agree that the richness of nicknames really does help! And, yes, I think we’ll definitely be waiting to meet him and see who he is. Maybe we’ll be surprised and he’ll have a totally different name! I’m a strong believer that kids name themselves somehow :blush:

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I tend to feel the exact same way about popular names, which is why Benjamin’s sudden, last-minute pull honestly caught me quite off guard (hence asking here, lol).

I do love [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] too! That’s been our frontrunner pretty much this whole time.

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[name_u]Blaise[/name_u] [name_u]Augustine[/name_u] has been one of our top choices! [name_f]My[/name_f] family is in Oklahoma and when I asked them they hadn’t come across many Benjamins either, which is really interesting.

Now to just decide what the heart actually wants… it’s been quite indecisive with this baby :joy:

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That’s very true! I do love the timelessness of it. [name_f]My[/name_f] other kids have names that are much less common, and a part of me has always wondered if it would be nice to use a name that’s more classic and timeless. Maybe this is the one for that!

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I’ve only met one Benjamin/Ben in all my years, but I’ve been abroad for 10 years now, so I’m probably out of touch with how popular it really is :flushed:

[name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] [name_u]Augustine[/name_u] is really cool! We may even end up with 3 names, such as [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] [name_u]Augustine[/name_u], but we’ll see!

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That’s very true! It’s a different world than the ages of Johns and [name_f]Marys[/name_f] everywhere, or even names of the 70s/80s that I grew up with. [name_f]My[/name_f] family (siblings and then our kids) tend towards less common names, so I just can’t quite figure out if giving a child a very popular name is fair and fine :joy:

That’s an excellent point about the sound/origin names that can make a name feel more popular. [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] definitely does feel different in that regard.

I think we’ll just have to wait and see if its [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] or [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u], or something else entirely!

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Thanks to everyone for the feedback so far! Very helpful!

[name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] is still on the very short list at the moment. But just in case, any other suggestions on names with Benjamin’s same friendly, approachable, timeless appeal (doesn’t have to sound like [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u], but just with that same feeling)?

Definitely use the name you love most and ignore popularity rankings. A son Benjamin would never complain about his name and commend your fine choice when old enough. Other suggestions are Samuel (Sam), Isaac or Zachary (Zac), Peter (Pete), Vincent (Vinnie) - all pretty timeless and friendly, and even less popular than Benjamin over past 100 years in the United States. August or Augustine (nn Gus) also good.

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Maybe Samuel, Charles/Charlie, Adam, Gabriel, Nathaniel, or Matthew? I think that the name list boys names always in the top 1000 would be helpful here too.

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[name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] is timeless. It’s the kind of name that is always a good idea. Elegant but approachable, respectable but warm, friendly but serious, perfect on a child and a grown man. There’s not much else you could want in a name!

I do know two kids named Ben/Benjamin, but one is in high school and the other is 8. I know a few adults. But it’s not “over-saturated” at all, and my reaction is always one of appreciation for a good name.

[name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] [name_m]Aleksander[/name_m] sounds amazing!

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I would absolutely say go for [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] if it feels right. I know a handful of Benjamin’s, but they are all actually pretty varied in age. I work in education in the midwest US and I have not encountered many Benjamin’s at all. If you love a name I don’t think popularity should cause you to eliminate it, especially a name like [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] that has so many potential nicknames to distinguish you [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] from any others he encounters.

I also actually personally prefer [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] to [name_u]Blaise[/name_u] anyway, for what it is worth.

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[name_u]Benjamin[/name_u] is such a great name! I have only ever known 2 (one is 13 and the other around 5). I’m in the midwestern US, for reference. I think this name is one where the charts say that it is very popular but you don’t hear it as often as you’d think.

[name_m]Ben[/name_m] alternatives:

[name_m]Peter[/name_m]
[name_u]Timothy[/name_u]
[name_u]Daniel[/name_u]
[name_u]Seth[/name_u]
[name_m]Caleb[/name_m]
[name_m]Reuben[/name_m]
[name_m]Simon[/name_m]

I know some of these are popular but they give off a similar vibe to me.

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I say go for it! [name_f]My[/name_f] other kids have pretty unique names but I feel very strongly if I have another little boy I will name him [name_m]Samuel[/name_m] (Sam) even though it is very common. It just feels like there is a little [name_u]Sam[/name_u] missing from our family and every time I hear this name in Children’s books or in passing I feel a warm feeling in my heart.

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