Jens
Jens is a male given name and a Danish, Dutch, German, Norwegian, Swedish, Icelandic, Faroese and Frisian derivative of Johannes. It was the top given name for boys in Denmark in 2008.
- Danish
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Icelandic
Meaning & Origin of Jens
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Jens is a male given name and a Danish, Dutch, German, Norwegian, Swedish, Icelandic, Faroese and Frisian derivative of Johannes. It was the top given name for boys in Denmark in 2008.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Danish
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Icelandic
- German
The Story of Jens
Jens first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1884, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1966, when 39 Jenss were born — ranking #1,194 that year. As of 2026, Jens ranks #4,483 for baby boys with 23 births, gradually rising (+6%). In total, more than 2K Jenss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Jens
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Jens. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Jens
Phonetically similar names — useful when Jens is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Gens
- Genz
- Jins
- Jinns
- Juns
- Djinns
- Geons
- Jeans
- Jones
- Gems
- Genes
- Johns
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jens
What does the name Jens mean?
What is the origin of the name Jens?
How popular is Jens in 2026?
When was Jens most popular?
In which U.S. states is Jens most popular?
Is Jens a unisex name?
What names go well with Jens?
What are nicknames or variants of Jens?
About the name Jens
Jens is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1884 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Jens's peak popularity came in 1966 when it ranked #663. Use the chart and map above to compare Jens's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1966 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "J" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.