B
Masculine
Lithuanian
Meaning & History
Benjaminas is a masculine Lithuanian given name, the Lithuanian form of Benjamin. The name Benjamin derives from the Hebrew Binyamin, meaning "son of the right hand" or "son of the south," from the elements ben ("son") and yamin ("right hand, south"). In the Old Testament, Benjamin was the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel, and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Originally named Ben-Oni ("son of my sorrow") by his dying mother, his father renamed him Benjamin (Genesis 35:18).
The name entered general use in English after the Protestant Reformation, famously borne by American statesman Benjamin Franklin. In Lithuania, Benjaminas has been used since the Middle Ages, reflecting both Christian and national onomastic traditions.
Notable Bearers
- Benjaminas Jakševičius (1895–1979), Lithuanian sculptor and partisan
- Benjaminas Viluckis (born 1961), Lithuanian hammer thrower
- Benjaminas Zelkevičius (born 1944), Lithuanian footballer and manager
Diminutive
A common diminutive is Benas, used as an everyday short form.
Cultural Context
In Lithuanian naming culture, Benjaminas is a traditional biblical name adapted to Lithuanian phonetics, sharing its root with other European variants like Romanian Beniamin, Spanish Benjamín, and German Benjamin.
- Meaning: "son of the right hand"
- Origin: Hebrew, via the biblical Benjamin
- Type: First name
- Usage: Lithuanian
Related Names
Diminutives
Other Languages & Cultures
Sources: Wikipedia — Benjaminas