Espen
Espen is a Norwegian masculine given name. In Norway it reached the peak of its popularity between 1970 and 1990, during which period approximately 1.1% of children were given that name.
- Norwegian
Meaning & Origin of Espen
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Espen is a Norwegian masculine given name. In Norway it reached the peak of its popularity between 1970 and 1990, during which period approximately 1.1% of children were given that name.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Norwegian
The Story of Espen
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Espen as a girl name dates back to 2014, when 5 babies received it. 2019 was its biggest year on record, with 18 newborns named Espen — #6,412 in the national rankings. About 52% of every Espen on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Espen ranks #9,336 for girls with 8 births, falling sharply (-20%). All told, over 150 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2010s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Espen on the record books as a boy name in 1995, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2015, when 37 Espens were born — ranking #3,085 that year. About 41% of every Espen on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Espen ranks #4,224 for boys with 25 births, falling sharply (-16%). All told, over 737 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1990s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Espen
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Espen. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Espen
Phonetically similar names — useful when Espen is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Espen
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About the name Espen
Espen is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1995 and has accumulated 737 births in the dataset. Espen's peak popularity came in 2015 when it ranked #2,902. Use the chart and map above to compare Espen's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2015 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "E" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.