BenYehuda

BenYehuda is a Hebrew surname meaning “son of Yehuda” and is used in various spellings, including Ben-Yehuda and Ben Yehuda. It is primarily a Jewish family name and, in modern Hebrew, can function as a surname or as part of a given-name compound.

The most prominent bearer is Eliezer Ben-Yehuda (1858–1922), a Lithuanian-born Jewish linguist and journalist who played a central role in reviving Hebrew as a living language. He immigrated to Ottoman Palestine in the early 1880s, compiled Hebrew dictionaries and grammar guides, and actively promoted the use of Hebrew in education, the press, and everyday life. His efforts helped transform Hebrew from a primarily liturgical language into a spoken language of daily communication. His work and advocacy are widely regarded as foundational to the cultural and linguistic creation of modern Israel.

The name is commemorated in place names and institutions in Israel, most notably Ben-Yehuda Street in central Jerusalem, a historic pedestrian thoroughfare named in honor of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda. Variants of the name appear in Jewish communities around the world, reflecting migration and diaspora patterns. While most commonly associated with Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, the surname exists independently as a family name and appears in genealogical records, historical documents, and contemporary contexts.