Ben
Meaning: Its source is a Hebrew expression meaning "Son."
Languages: This boy's name is used in Hebrew, Dutch and English.
Alternative Spellings: Benn
Popularity: The name Ben ranked 551st in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 212th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
This name is highly rated in the 1990 U.S. Census popularity survey of all ages, but after 1960 does not appear in the state data listing the most popular baby names.
Arts and Music
- ''Ben''
- A 1972 hit recorded by Michael Jackson (see list of Names in Song titles)
- Ben Colder
- Winner of the 1968 Country Music Association award for Comedian of the Year (see list of Country Music Association Award Winners)
- Ben Shahn (born 1898, died 1969)
American artist.
- Lithographer whose work treated social and political themes (see list of Graphic Designers)
- Ben Webster (born 1909, died 1973)
American jazz musician.
- Tenor sax player (see list of Critics' Picks for the Jazz Hall of Fame)
Leadership
- L. Ben Lytle
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Associated Insurance (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Ben Chester White
Civil rights activist.
- Killed in civil rights movement June 10, 1966 (see list of Names on the Civil Rights Memorial)
Miscellaneous
- Ben C. Ash
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- Ben Johnson (born 1961)
Canadian runner. 100-meter dash gold medalist who was disqualified after testing positive for steroids.
- Canadian (see list of Famous Canadians)
- Ben Johnson, Sr.
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
Science and Philosophy
- Ben Mottelson (born 1926)
American-born Danish physicist known for his work with atomic nuclei.
- 1975 Nobel Prize winner in Physics, with James Rainwater and Aage Bohr (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Physics)
Sports
- Ben Brain
- Member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame (see list of Pioneer inductees)
- Bernard ''Ben'' Carnevale
American basketball coach.
- Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1969 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
- Ben Crenshaw
- 1984, 1995 Masters golf tournament winner (see list of Masters Tournament Golf Champions)
- Ben Hogan (died 1997)
American golfer.
- 1948, 1950-51, 1953 U.S. Open golf tournament winner (see list of U.S. Open Golf Champions)
- 1951, 1953 Masters golf tournament winner (see list of Masters Tournament Golf Champions)
- 1946, 1948 Professional Golf Association tournament winner (see list of PGA Champions)
- 1953 British Open golf champion (see list of British Open Golf Champions)
- 1953 Associated Press Athlete of the Year (see list of Associated Press Athletes of the Year)
- Ben Johnson (born 1961)
Canadian runner. 100-meter dash gold medalist who was disqualified after testing positive for steroids.
- 1987 Associated Press Athlete of the Year (see list of Associated Press Athletes of the Year)
Stage and Screen
- Ben Affleck
American actor
- Starred in Armageddon, Good Will Hunting (see list of see Hollywood Freshmen)
- Ben Alexander (born 1911, died 1969)
American actor.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Portrayed Officer Frank Smith from 1953-59 (see list of Actors on ''Dragnet'')
- Ben
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Sam Waterston (see list of Characters in the film Crimes and Misdemeanors)
- Ben Bernie (born 1891, died 1943)
American bandleader and comedian known as ''The Old Maestro.''
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio (see list of Radio Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Ben Cartwright
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Lorne Greene (see list of Characters on ''Bonanza'')
- Lieut. Ben Edwards
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Richard Jaekel (see list of Characters on ''Baywatch'')
- Little Ben Healy
Fictional character.
- From ''''Problem Child'''' (see list of Cartoon characters)
- Big Ben Healy
Fictional character.
- From ''''Problem Child'''' (see list of Cartoon characters)
- Ben Johnson (born 1918, died 1996)
American actor and writer.
- 1971 Academy Award winner for his performance in The Last Picture Show (see list of Oscar Winners for Best Supporting Actor)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Ben Kingsley (born 1943)
English actor. Original name: Krishna Bhanji.
- 1982 Academy Award winner for his performance in Gandhi (see list of Oscar Winners for Best Actor)
- Ben Lyon
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Ben Price
Fictional character.
- Character on the soap opera ''''One Life to Live'''' (see list of Characters on ''One Life to Live'')
- Ben Reade
Fictional character.
- Character on soap opera ''''Guiding Light'''' (see list of Characters on ''Guiding Light'')
- Sgt. Ben Romero
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Barton Yarborough (see list of Characters on ''Dragnet'')
- Ben Turpin
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Ben Vereen (born 1946)
American actor and entertainer.
- 1973 Tony Award winner for his performance in Pippin (see list of Tony Winners for Best Actor in a Musical)
- Portrayed Chicken George (see list of Actors on ''Roots'')
- Ben Walton
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Eric Scott (see list of Characters on ''The Waltons'')
The Literary World
- Ben Hanscom
Fictional character.
- Bill Denbrough''s friend in Stephen King''s novel It (see list of Characters in It)
- Ben Jonson (born 1573, died 1637)
English playwright and poet.
- Poet Laureate of England, 1619-37 (see list of English Poets Laureate)
- Wrote The Alchemist (see list of Writers of the 17th Century)
- Ben Sargent
- 1982 Pulitzer Prize winner for Editorial Cartooning (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning)
- Ben Staad
Fictional character.
- Peter''s best friend in Stephen King''s novel The Eyes of the Dragon (see list of Characters in The Eyes of the Dragon)
Teasing Nicknames:
- Ben Hen
- Benard
- Ben Gay
- Juddah Ben Hur
- Benji
-
Wee Ben
Used in reference to Barnard Sayers, British Open golf champion (1880-1923).
- Bent
- Uncle Ben
- Bennie Hannah
- Ben Dover
Associations:
A ''bennie'' is a tablet of the drug Benzedrine.
