Espen
Gender-neutral name · Scandinavian
Meaninggod bear · Norwegian
- US rank
- #3,848
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #2,902 in 2005
28 babies were named Espen in the US in 2025. It has dropped 195 places in five years.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 2014–2025
US births per million boys, 1995–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Espen you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Espen
Espen Sandberg
Norwegian film director and advertising executive
Choose Espen and your child shares a first name with Espen Sandberg, a Norwegian film director and advertising executive. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Espen, like who?” Espen Sandberg's Wikipedia article is available in 24 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Espen Sandberg on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)- How commonAbout 1 in every 60,976 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Espen, 28 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Espen would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryEspen first shows up in US birth records in 1995, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 30 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 2005, when it reached #2,902.
- Then vs nowEspen is 4.6× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 277,778 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 60,976.
- TrendEspen has slipped 195 places over the last five years and now sits at #3,848. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Boy or girlEspen is given to both boys and girls: 65% of the 43 babies named Espen in 2025 were boys. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
- MeaningIn Norwegian, Espen means “god bear”.
About the name Espen
Espen is a gender-neutral name of Scandinavian origin meaning “god bear”. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with E and ending in “-pen”. US birth records list Espen for boys from 1995 to 2025, in 31 of those 31 years. Its best year was 2005, when it ranked #2,902 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #3,848, with 28 babies. Of the 43 US babies named Espen in 2025, 35% were girls and 65% were boys.
Origin:Scandinavian names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 6.9 | 144,578 girls |
| 2020s | 7.8 | 128,205 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.8 | 207,469 boys |
| 2000s | 10 | 97,656 boys |
| 2010s | 16 | 62,933 boys |
| 2020s | 16 | 62,827 boys |
More Scandinavian names
- Girl name: Mia · possibly beloved
- Boy name: Jonathan · God has given
- Unisex name: Beckett · bee cottage
- Girl name: Freya · lady
- Girl name: Vera · faith
- Boy name: Oscar · deer lover
- Boy name: Eric · eternal ruler
- Unisex name: Jensen · son of Jens
Questions about the name Espen
What does the name Espen mean?
Espen means “god bear” in Norwegian.
What is the origin of the name Espen?
Espen has Scandinavian roots in our records. Other Scandinavian names include Mia, Jonathan, Beckett.
Is Espen a boy or girl name?
Both. Espen is used for boys and girls: in 2025, 35% of US babies named Espen were girls.
How popular is the name Espen?
Espen ranked #3,848 for US boys in 2025, given to 28 babies. Its best year was 2005 (#2,902).