UK boy's name
Bento
A masculine Japanese name meaning "packed lunch" or "boxed meal".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Bento is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Bento popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3688, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 7 births.
This profile covers 17 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2022 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 71% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 17 living people in the UK are called Bento. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Bento ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 7 boys were registered as Bento.
- • About 17 living people in the UK are estimated to have Bento as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3688
2024
Births in 2024
5
Latest year
Peak year
2023
7 births
Estimated living
17
2026
Meaning
What does Bento mean?
The name Bento originates from the Portuguese language and has its roots in the Latin name Benedictus, meaning "blessed." The name gained popularity in Portugal during the Middle Ages, particularly among Christian communities.
Historically, the name Bento was often associated with religious figures, as it was derived from the Latin word "benedictus," which had strong connections to religious blessings and the Christian faith. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bento can be found in the life of Saint Benedict of Nursia, a influential figure in the history of Western monasticism, who lived from 480 to 547 AD.
In the 12th century, Bento de Santa Maria, a Portuguese priest and scholar, gained recognition for his contributions to the field of theology and his role in promoting religious education. Another notable figure bearing the name Bento was Bento de Góis, a 16th-century Portuguese explorer and diplomat who traveled extensively and documented his journeys.
Moving forward in history, Bento Teixeira, a 17th-century Portuguese poet and satirist, gained fame for his witty and biting literary works that often critiqued societal norms and political figures of the time. In the 18th century, Bento de Moura Portugal, a prominent military officer and statesman, played a significant role in the Portuguese Empire's colonial administration.
One of the most renowned individuals with the name Bento was Bento Gonçalves, a 19th-century Brazilian revolutionary leader who led the Farroupilha Revolution, a conflict that sought greater autonomy for the southern provinces of Brazil from the central government.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the name Bento, reflecting its deep-rooted connections to the Portuguese language and culture, as well as its associations with religious, literary, and political spheres.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Bento over time
The chart below shows babies named Bento registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2022 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Bento, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2024, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Bento by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Bento was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3317 | 17 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Bento
- Benjamin 90,412
- Ben 36,356
- Bradley 30,230
- Brandon 26,411
- Billy 18,608
- Bobby 16,904
- Blake 16,337
- Bailey 16,014
- Brody 7,230
- Beau 6,722
- Barnaby 5,284
- Brodie 4,801
FAQ
Bento: questions and answers
How popular is the name Bento in the UK right now?
In 2024, Bento was ranked #3688 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Bento most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 7 babies registered as Bento in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Bento?
A masculine Japanese name meaning "packed lunch" or "boxed meal".
How many people are called Bento in the UK?
A total of 17 babies have been registered as Bento across the 3 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.