Ben Shalom BernankeBernanke's first name is Ben, not Benjamin; it is not an abbreviated name. (ref: "[http://www.slate.com/id/2128630/ Big Ben]", ''Slate'', October 24, 2005) Bernanke's middle name is Shalom. [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/nominations/106.html http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/nominat[Wikipedia]