US Popularity Rank: 2102

Origin: German

Meaning: Son of the right hand; Son of the south; Blessed; Brave bear

Benny is a modern and cute gender-neutral name that lends itself equally to both boys and girls. This adorable moniker can be a shortened form of several names, including Benjamin, Benedict, and even Bernard. As a variant of Benjamin, Benny means “son of the right hand” or “son of the south” in Hebrew, perhaps reminding baby Benny that they’ll always be at your right hand. Benedict translates to “blessed” in Latin, symbolizing little Benny’s impact on your life. Some sources also link Benny to the German masculine name Bernard, meaning “brave bear.” Elton John fans will certainly be familiar with the name Benny or its alternative spelling, Bennie, as it’s at the center of one of his best-known songs, “Bennie and the Jets.” Just reading this, you can hear Elton tapping away on the ivories whilst singing Bennie over and over. Just for the Elton John reference alone, this is a stellar name that stands out from the crowd.