Kohen
Kohen is the Hebrew word for "priest", used in reference to the Aaronic priesthood, also called Aaronites or Aaronides. They are traditionally believed, and halakhically required, to be of direct patrilineal descent from the biblical Aaron, brother of Moses, and thus belong to the Tribe of Levi.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Kohen
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kohen is the Hebrew word for "priest", used in reference to the Aaronic priesthood, also called Aaronites or Aaronides. They are traditionally believed, and halakhically required, to be of direct patrilineal descent from the biblical Aaron, brother of Moses, and thus belong to the Tribe of Levi.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Kohen
The earliest SSA record of Kohen as a baby boy name dates back to 1996, when 6 babies received it. 2026 was its biggest year on record, with 1,178 newborns named Kohen — #285 in the national rankings. About 60% of every Kohen on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Kohen ranks #285 for baby boys with 1,178 births, rising sharply (+128% over the past five years). All told, over 10K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1990s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Kohen
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Kohen. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Kohen
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kohen 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 Kohen
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About the name Kohen
Kohen is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1996 and has accumulated 10K births in the dataset. Kohen's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #285. Use the chart and map above to compare Kohen's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- 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.