Benelli
A masculine Italian name derived from the word "bene" meaning "well".
Name Census estimates that about 237 living Americans carry the first name Benelli. It is a predominantly female name (90.8% of registrations). The average person named Benelli today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Benelli births was 2023 (39 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Benelli. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
237
~ 1 in 1,446,221 Americans
Peak year
2023
39 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,628
Tracked since 2010
Gender
Gender distribution for Benelli
Benelli leans heavily female at 90.8% of total registrations, but 22 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Benelli as a male name
- Ranked #11,078 in 2024
- 6 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2023 (11 births)
Benelli as a female name
- Ranked #5,628 in 2024
- 22 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2020 (30 births)
Popularity
Benelli: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Benelli from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 139 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Benelli by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Benelli during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Benellis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Benelli
The name Benelli has its origins in the Italian language. It is derived from the word "bene," which means "good" or "well" in Italian. The name likely first emerged in Italy during the Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century.
While the name Benelli itself does not appear to have any direct historical references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its root word "bene" has been used in various contexts throughout Italian history and literature. The name may have been given to individuals who were perceived as virtuous, kind, or well-behaved.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Benelli can be found in the 15th century, when a notable Italian architect named Benelli da Firenze (Benelli from Florence) lived and worked during the Renaissance period. Unfortunately, specific details about his life are scarce, but his contribution to architecture during that time is recognized.
In the 16th century, a Catholic priest and theologian named Benedetto Benelli gained prominence for his writings on religious subjects. He was born in 1547 in Florence, Italy, and passed away in 1618.
During the 19th century, a renowned Italian artist named Giovanni Benelli made his mark in the world of painting. Born in 1829 in Genoa, Italy, he was known for his landscape and genre paintings, capturing the beauty of Italian scenery and daily life.
Another notable figure with the name Benelli was Vincenzo Benelli, an Italian engineer and industrialist born in 1879. He founded the Benelli motorcycle company, which became renowned for its high-performance motorcycles and earned a reputation for innovation and quality.
In more recent times, Stefano Benelli, an Italian professional tennis player born in 1976, achieved success on the ATP Tour, winning several doubles titles throughout his career. His tenacity and skill on the court earned him recognition in the world of tennis.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have carried the name Benelli. While not an exhaustive list, it highlights the name's Italian origins and its connection to various fields, including architecture, religion, art, engineering, and sports.
People
Benelli + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Benelli as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with B
Other first names starting with B with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Benelli: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Benelli?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 237 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Benelli going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,446,221 US residents.
Is Benelli a common name?
We classify Benelli as "Very Rare". It ranks above 76.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 239 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Benelli most popular?
The single biggest year for Benelli was 2023, when 39 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Benelli is about 7 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Benelli in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Benelli a female name?
Yes, 90.8% of people registered as Benelli in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Benelli still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Benelli in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Benelli can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Benelli?
For a quick modern take, check how many people share the name Benelli on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.