Benj is an English short form of the name Benjamin. While Ben is the most common diminutive, Benj offers a slightly less familiar variant. It is typically used as a male given name, though its usage is relatively rare compared to other nicknames of Benjamin.The root name Benjamin is derived from the Hebrew Binyamin (בִּנְיָמִין), meaning "son of the south" or "son of the right hand." In the Old Testament, Benjamin was the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel, and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Rachel originally named him Ben-Oni ("son of my sorrow") before his birth, but Jacob renamed him Benjamin (Genesis 35:18). The name gained widespread use as an English personal name after the Protestant Reformation.Other related English variants and diminutives include Ben, Benji, Benjy, Bennie, and Benny. Corresponding forms in other languages include Binyamin (Quranic), Beniamin (Romanian), Benjamín (Spanish), Ben (German), and Veniamin (Russian).Notable bearers named Benj are few, but the name gained some visibility through the 2006 Filipino reality competition show Philippine Idol, which was originally branded as Philippine Idol. The show aired on ABC (now TV5) from July to December 2006.Meaning: short form of Benjamin, which means "son of the right hand"Origin: EnglishType: DiminutiveUsage Regions: English-speaking countries