Meaning:
Its source is Binyamin, a Hebrew name meaning "Right-hand son."
Popularity:
The name Benny ranked 932nd in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 382nd in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
Though this name has fluctuated in use, it has been quietly present throughout the last century.
Narrative:
Some favor the meaning ''son of my later years,'' and others ''southern son.''
In the Jewish scriptures, Benjamin and the other sons of Jacob and Rachel each gave their names to one of the twelve tribes of Israel. After the Exodus from Egypt, the Benjamites gained a reputation for ferocity in the battles for the conquest of Canaan.
In French the name is also a common noun and means The youngest one.