Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Usual Nickname, Unexpected Name--Ben

Ben! How have I forgotten good, dependable Ben for so long? Benjamin is the usual choice, of course, and just as in style as ever. Bentley & Bennett are modern up-and-comers, and while I wouldn't be surprised to see Benedict get a bit more usage, it's still likely to be a bit too Arnold, Cumberbatch, and/or breakfast-y for many.
So what else.....?

  • Balendin (bah-len-deen, Basque)--form of Valentine
  • Bastian (BAST-yen, English)
  • Benaiah (ben-EYE-ah, ben-AY-ah, [Biblical] Hebrew)--"God has built"
  • Benedetto (beh-neh-DET-toh, Italian)--form of Benedict. Other forms include Benas (Lithuanian), Benedek (Hungarian), Benedito (Portuguese), Benito (Spanish, Italian), & Benoit (French)
  • Bengeir (BEN-gire, Old Norse)
  • Benhail (ben-HAY-il, ben-HYE-il, [Biblical] Hebrew)--"son of might"
  • Benigno (beh-NEEG-no, Spanish, Portuguese; beh-NEEN-yoh, Italian)--from Latin, "kind"
  • Beñat (ben-yaht, Basque)--form of Bernard
  • Benno (BEN-noh, German)--from Germanic, "bear"
  • Bentein (BEN-tine, Norwegian)
  • Ebenezer (eh-ben-EE-zer, [Biblical] Hebrew)
  • Esben (ES-ben, Danish, Norwegian)--from Old Norse, "god-bear"
  • Iben (EE-ben, Norwegian)--short form of Ibenhard/Ebenhard
  • Kolben (KOL-ben, [archaic] Swedish)--another form is Kulben (archaic Danish) [coincides with the German word for 'piston']
  • Preben (PRAY-ben, Danish)--from Slavic, "first battle"
  • Reuben (ROO-ben, [Biblical] Hebrew)
  • Torben (TOR-ben, Danish)

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