| Benjamín | Angel | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | son of the right hand | Angel, messenger |
| Origin | spanish | Spanish |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | ben-hah-MEEN | AHN-hel |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1888 |
| Peak year | 1989 (15,733) | 2006 (11,602) |
| In 2025 | 9,762 | 4,757 |
| Trend | Steady | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Benjamín | Angel |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 64,922 | 28,990 |
| 2010s | 134,509 | 62,959 |
| 2000s | 137,309 | 94,334 |
| 1990s | 133,939 | 36,990 |
| 1980s | 141,366 | 15,798 |
| 1970s | 81,332 | 11,178 |
| 1960s | 25,609 | 7,404 |
| 1950s | 23,833 | 4,224 |
| 1940s | 17,184 | 1,377 |
| 1930s | 14,613 | 1,088 |
| 1920s | 21,028 | 1,089 |
| 1910s | 17,310 | 391 |
| 1900s | 4,009 | 34 |
| 1890s | 4,460 | 22 |
| 1880s | 5,407 | 8 |
The Spanish form of Benjamin, from the Hebrew Binyamin, 'son of the right hand' (ben 'son' + yamin 'right hand', implying the south, or favor and strength). In Genesis he is the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel.
Angel comes from the Greek angelos, “messenger,” and the Latin angelus. It is common for boys in Spanish-speaking cultures (Ángel) and used for girls in English.
Benjamín is more popular than Angel today: about 9,762 US babies were given the name Benjamín in 2025, compared with 4,757 named Angel.
Benjamín means son of the right hand (spanish origin), while Angel means Angel, messenger (Spanish origin).
In US records, Benjamín first appears in 1880 and Angel in 1888, so Benjamín has the longer recorded history.