Benjamin is a masculine given name of Hebrew origin, meaning "son of the right hand" or "son of the south." In Hebrew, it is written as בִּנְיָמִין (Binyamin). The name is derived from the Hebrew phrase בֵּן יָמִין (ben yamin), where בֵּן (ben) means "son" and יָמִין (yamin) means "right hand" or "south." The name has significant biblical context, as Benjamin was the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel in the Hebrew Bible (Genesis 35:18). In Arabic, the name is transliterated as بنيامين (Bunyamin), and in Greek, it is Βενιαμίν (Veniamin). The name has been widely used in various cultures and languages, often with slight variations in spelling and pronunciation. Throughout history, the name Benjamin has been borne by numerous notable figures, including authors, politicians, and religious leaders.
Biblical figure and son of Jacob and Rachel
Benjamin was the younger of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel, and Jacob's twelfth and youngest son overall in Jewish, Christian and Islamic tradition. He was also considered the progenitor of the Israelite Tribe of Benjamin. Unlike Rachel's first son, Joseph, Benjamin was born in Canaan according to biblical narrative.