Benaya as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Benaya

What is the meaning of the name Benaya ?

The baby name Benaya is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /bəˈneɪə/ (buh-NAY-uh); variant: /bəˈnaɪə/ (buh-NIGH-uh).

Benaya is Hebrew in Origin.

Benaya is a modern Hebrew form of the biblical name Benaiah/Benayahu, from benayah(u), combining the root b-n-h "to build" with the divine element Yah(u). It means "Yahweh has built" or "built by the Lord," sometimes interpreted as "Yahweh has established." A notable bearer is Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a famed warrior of King David and leader of his bodyguard.

Used across Jewish and Christian traditions, the name appeared sporadically in Puritan England and New England but stayed rare in broader English usage. It has seen a modern revival in Israel and the Jewish diaspora, occasionally as a unisex choice though historically masculine. Variants include Benaiah, Benayah, and Benayahu in Hebrew; Benaías (Spanish), Benaias or Benaia (Portuguese), and Benaja in German/Scandinavian sources. Common short forms are Ben and Beni.