Benton

Meaning of Benton

The name Benton, originally an English habitational surname, derives from the Old English elements “beonet” meaning “bent-grass” and “tūn” denoting an enclosed settlement, so its literal sense is “farmstead among the bent grass.” Adopted as a given name in the United States during the 19th century, Benton exemplifies the broader Anglo-American practice of transforming surnames into first names, a trend that conferred an air of sturdiness and civic respectability. Historical figures such as U.S. senator Thomas Hart Benton and, a century later, the regionalist painter of the same name lent the name a patina of public service and artistic innovation, embedding it in the national memory even as its statistical footprint remained modest. Social Security data show that, while Benton never entered the American Top 500, it has maintained low-level but uninterrupted usage from the late 1800s through the present, with annual births typically in the double or low triple digits and a recent plateau around rank 750. This sustained yet restrained presence positions Benton as a recognizably English-speaking choice that avoids over-saturation, appealing to parents who seek a name with historical depth, clear pronunciation (BEN-tən), and a subtle connection to both the rural English landscape and the civic narrative of the United States.