Recent in Baby
When Baby Resists SolidsWhen Baby Resists SolidsBaby Biting TipsBaby Biting Tips5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair Injuries5 Tips To Help Prevent Highchair InjuriesWhen Baby and Pet MeetWhen Baby and Pet MeetTreatments for ColicTreatments for ColicBaby Milestones – The First YearBaby Milestones – The First YearTips for Relieving Teething PainTips for Relieving Teething PainBenefits of Making Your Own Baby FoodBenefits of Making Your Own Baby Food

Home › Baby Names Directory › Benton

Benton

♂ Boy

Pronounced BEN-ton /ˈbɛn.tən/Low

Meaning: Town in the bent grass or curved landLow

In 30 seconds: Benton is an English place name meaning town in the bent grass, from Old English beonet (bent grass) and tun (settlement). As a given name it has a warm, slightly Southern American quality.
💕 Browse more names
Origin LowEnglish
MeaningTown in the bent grass or curved land
U.S. rank (2025)#1623 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births104 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2016
Total births (all-time)≈ 10,414

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201618802025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Benton derives from Old English beonet (bent grass or reeds) and tun (settlement or town), meaning settlement in the bent grasses. It is a place name in England and the United States. As a given name it became popular in the American South.

Benton has a warm, preppy, Southern quality in the United States. It is used as a given name particularly in families with Scotch-Irish Southern heritage.

Did you know? The American painter Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975) — a leading American Regionalist artist who depicted the American heartland with bold, curving lines — gave the name Benton an artistic heritage particularly appropriate given its grassy, rural meaning.
Overall data confidence 90%
Behind the Name: Benton

Variations

BenBentynBentan

Nicknames

BenBenny

Famous Bearers

  • ★Thomas Hart Benton (1889-1975)
    American Regionalist painter and muralist known for sweeping scenes of American heartland life

If you like Benton…

Weston— Same -ton suffix place name
Dalton— Same -ton place name surname
Colton— Same -ton coal settlement
Sutton— Same -ton suffix English place name

Explore names like Benton

By themeenglishsurname-nametwo-syllableplace-namesouthern

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does Benton mean?

Benton means town in the bent grass from Old English beonet (bent grass) and tun (settlement).

Is Benton a Southern name?

Benton has a warm Southern American association and is popular in families with Scotch-Irish Southern heritage.

How do you pronounce Benton?

Benton is pronounced BEN-ton with two syllables.

What names are similar to Benton?

Similar names include Weston, Dalton, Colton, and Sutton.

💬 Ask Nia