Total births
10,415
Boys' name · since 1880
Benton
Benton has 10,415 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2016 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1303
- among boys today
- 10,415
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other boys
Benton currently ranks #1303 among boys' names in America, with 10,415 babies recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Benton recorded 10,415 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #1303 nationally today, ahead of 91% of boys, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #1303 among boys today
- 10,415 born since 1880
- 2010s peak decade
- 91% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Benton is currently the #1303 boys' name in America, more common than 91% of boys - 10,415 born since 1880, peaking in the 2010s.
- #1303
- among boys today
- 10,415
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 91%
- more common than other boys
Benton vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1303
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 91% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Benton was born in this single decade.
2016
Single peak year
278 babies were named Benton in 2016 - its busiest year on record.
How Benton compares
10,415 Top 8% higher than 92% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Benton's all-time total is 28x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Benton | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 10,415 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 278 | 23 | 22,252 |
Benton's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Benton's SSA record in two at 1953 and the more recent half accounts for 71% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 29%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1891, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2016 peak of 278, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Benton at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2016
Current rank
#1,303
Active since
1880
Benton popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2016)
- 278
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Benton popularity over time - girls
6 total births recorded since 2018 (Benton as girls' name)
Benton by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Benton's strongest decade.
2,224 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Benton births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 125
1880s
125 births
- 1890s 81
1890s
81 births
- 1900s 110
1900s
110 births
- 1910s 542
1910s
542 births
- 1920s 770
1920s
770 births
- 1930s 601
1930s
601 births
- 1940s 627
1940s
627 births
- 1950s 593
1950s
593 births
- 1960s 590
1960s
590 births
- 1970s 516
1970s
516 births
- 1980s 717
1980s
717 births
- 1990s
1990s
952 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,081 births
- 2010s
2010s
2,224 births
- 2020s 886
2020s
886 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 2,224 births (21% of all-time use).
How Benton compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Benton's total volume
Benton vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Benton by state
Where Benton concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 752 | 7.2% |
| #2 | Tennessee | | 624 | 6.0% |
| #3 | California | | 360 | 3.5% |
| #4 | Missouri | | 277 | 2.7% |
| #5 | North Carolina | | 216 | 2.1% |
| #6 | Georgia | | 206 | 2.0% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 200 | 1.9% |
| #8 | Louisiana | | 187 | 1.8% |
Texas share of Benton's total US births 7.2%
Even split
752 of 10,415 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 33 reporting states.
Benton appears in 33 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Benton? ▼
10,415 babies have been named Benton since 1880. It currently ranks #1303 among boys. The peak year was 2016 with 278 births.
When was Benton most popular? ▼
Benton was most popular in the 2010s decade with 2,224 total births. The single peak year was 2016.
Where is Benton most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Benton are Texas (752 births), Tennessee (624 births), California (360 births).
How long has the name Benton been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Benton since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Benton? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Benjamin, Ben, Bennett, Bentley, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Benton's data
- Benton's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (2,224 total births) through the 2020s (886) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Bentons (752 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Benton
Nearby Names Like Benton
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Benton
Benjamin Boy
#11 826,830 births
Ben Boy
#800 85,349 births
Bennett Boy
#60 72,514 births
Bentley Boy
#201 60,027 births
Bennie Boy
#2502 52,753 births
Compare Benton side by side: Benton vs Benjamin Benton vs Ben Benton vs Bennett
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Benton
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Benton: #1303 Boys' Name - 10,415 Births, Peak 2016." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/benton. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Benton draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.