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Alternatives to Benjamin

  1. Finnegan

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "fair"

    • Description:

      If you like the Finn names and love James Joyce, Finnegan is extremely winning. Will & Grace 's Eric McCormack chose the Finnigan spelling for his son. And of course Finnegan gains you access to the great short form Finn.
  2. Benedict

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "blessed"

    • Description:

      Parents who like Ben and Benjamin but find those forms too popular sometimes consider Benedict as a more distinctive choice. Unlike the Old Testament Benjamin, Benedict is the name of the saint who formed the Benedictine Order and of fifteen popes,including a recent one.
  3. Solomon

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "peace"

    • Description:

      Solomon, a name that evokes wisdom and peace, is an Old Testament name that, along with other patriarchal classics, is finally beginning to shed its long white beard and step from the pages of the Old Testament into modern nurseries.
  4. Richard

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "dominant ruler"

    • Description:

      A classic old Norman name popular for a thousand years and favored for kings (Richard Nixon was named for Richard the Lionhearted), as well as the hoi polloi (as in every Tom, Dick and Harry), Richard was the sixth most popular US boys’ name in 1925, and was still Number 8 in 1950, but is now much less popular.
  5. Valentine

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "strength, health"

    • Description:

      Valentine is an attractive Shakespearean name with romantic associations, but those very ties to the saint and the sentimental holiday have sent it into a decline, one which we think may be about to turn around.
  6. Franklin

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "free landholder"

    • Description:

      A doubly Presidential name, via Pierce and Roosevelt, Franklin was given an initial boost via the fame of Benjamin Franklin. It also has a literary tie to the main character of the Wilkie Collins classic The Moonstone.
  7. Christian

    • Origin:

      Greek or English from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "anointed one or follower of Christ"

    • Description:

      The name Christian has fallen a bit from its 90's and 00's heights, but it's still quite popular. Once considered overly pious, Christian is now seen as making a bold statement of faith by some, while also having secular appeal for others. Christian's enduring popularity may be influenced by such celebrities as Christian Slater and Christian Bale, not to mention the fashion world's Dior, Lacroix, Louboutin and Audigier.
  8. Jeremiah

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "appointed by God"

    • Description:

      Jeremiah is a solid Old Testament prophet name that has gradually taken the place of the now dated Jeremy, Gerard and Gerald, joining other currently popular biblical 'iah' names like Josiah and Isaiah. In the Bible Jeremiah is a famous prophet whose story is recorded in the book named after him.
  9. Ben

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "son of"

    • Description:

      Ben, the diminutive of Benjamin or Benedict, can easily stand on its own as a simple, strong, nice-guy choice, though it's somewhat attenuated. Ben is this generation's Bob or Bill.
  10. Donovan

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "dark"

    • Description:

      One of the first of the appealing Irish surnames to take off in this country, this boys’ name has long outgrown its "Mellow Yellow" association, which came via the single from a sixties singer-songwriter named Donovan.
  11. Benson

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "son of Ben"

    • Description:

      Benson has outgrown its long association with a wisecracking TV butler with a fresh new association: singer songwriter Benson Boone. Parents may see it as an alternate route to nickname Ben, very different in image than the biblical Benjamin or the Latin Benedict, and more in tune perhaps with stylish with Bennett.
  12. Benji

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Benjamin

    • Description:

      Benji is undeniably cute, much in the way of a — yes, an adorable movie mutt. Ben is the handsome traditional short form of Benjamin, but Benji makes a more unexpected nickname
  13. Basil

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "royal"

    • Description:

      Although Greek in origin--in the fourth century, a bishop by that name established the principles of the Greek Orthodox Church--Basil for years took on the aura of aquiline-nosed upper-class Britishness of Sherlock Holmes portrayer Basil Rathbone, then spiced with the fragrant aroma of the herb that entered with the Pesto generation.
  14. Barnabas

    • Origin:

      Aramaic

    • Meaning:

      "son of consolation"

    • Description:

      Barnabas, whose birth name was Joseph, was one of the earliest Christian disciples in Jerusalem, who undertook missionary journeys with Paul the Apostle, His name is a bit Old World compared to the update Barnaby, but could gain some attention as boys' names ending in 's' are enjoying a comeback.
  15. Augustin

    • Origin:

      Greek variation of August

    • Description:

      This form and its German variant Augusten are moving up fast as the preferred long forms of the trendy Gus.
  16. Zephyrin

    • Origin:

      French variation of Zephyr

    • Meaning:

      "west wind"

    • Description:

      This name feels warmer and more human-appropriate in its longer version, but still retains that breezy feel. Trivia tidbit: Zephyrinus was a Jewish pope.
  17. Benito

    • Description:

      Benito is a masculine name of Spanish and Italian origin, derived from the Latin name 'Benedictus,' meaning 'blessed.' It's essentially the diminutive form of 'Benedicto' in Spanish. The name carries significant historical associations, most notably with Italian political figure Benito Mussolini and Mexican president Benito Juárez. Outside of Spanish and Italian-speaking countries, the name remains relatively uncommon but recognizable. Benito has a warm, friendly sound with its soft consonants and ending with an 'o,' typical of Italian and Spanish masculine names. The name conveys a sense of heritage and tradition while maintaining a certain musicality that makes it appealing across cultures.

  18. Johnathan

    • Origin:

      Variation of Jonathan

    • Meaning:

      "gift of Jehovah"

    • Description:

      Some people may prefer this spelling to clarify the name's connection to John, but it could be one h too many, exemplified by its steady decline over the past two decades.
  19. Benno

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "bear"

    • Description:

      Benno is a cool name in its own right -- there was a tenth century Saint Benno -- though it is also used as a lively nickname for Benjamin. Saint Benno of Meissen is the patron saint of anglers and weavers and, strangely enough, alliteration.
  20. Benuel

    • Origin:

      American variation of Benjamin, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "son of the right hand"

    • Description:

      Benuel is an Amish name that has only ever appeared on the Pennsylvania charts.

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