Espen
Boy name · #3909 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Espen? In official American birth records, Espen has been tracked continuously since 1995, giving it 30 years of documented American history.
Espen ranks #3909 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 28 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #3085, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 64,286 boys born in 2025 was named Espen.
The 30-year story
Espen first appears in the Social Security records in 1995, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2015, when 37 boys were named Espen — good for #3085 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Espen per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Espen against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Espen in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Espen is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Espen will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Espen is most common
State-level data for Espen is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Espen
Statistically, parents drawn to Espen tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Zaven, Tycen, Jacen, Edin, and Emran.
ZavenTycenJacenEdinEmranEbenKorbenJayven
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Espen | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28 | #3848 |
| 2024 | 31 | #3605 |
| 2023 | 20 | #4886 |
| 2022 | 23 | #4442 |
| 2021 | 34 | #3362 |
| 2020 | 29 | #3653 |
| 2019 | 28 | #3794 |
| 2018 | 32 | #3446 |
| 2017 | 25 | #4105 |
| 2016 | 31 | #3524 |
| 2015 | 37 | #3085 |
| 2014 | 29 | #3617 |
| 2013 | 32 | #3339 |
| 2012 | 29 | #3625 |
| 2011 | 24 | #4110 |
| 2010 | 32 | #3377 |
| 2009 | 26 | #3919 |
| 2008 | 24 | #4145 |
| 2007 | 24 | #4127 |
| 2006 | 28 | #3602 |
| 2005 | 36 | #2902 |
| 2004 | 18 | #4602 |
| 2003 | 14 | #5271 |
| 2002 | 17 | #4502 |
| 2001 | 11 | #6013 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Espen?
In official American birth records, the name Espen first appeared in 1995 (over 30 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 30 years.
Is Espen a popular boy name?
Espen ranked #3909 among boys in 2025 with 28 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3085.
When was the name Espen most popular?
Espen peaked in 2015, when 37 American boys received the name (ranked #3085 that year). Since 2015 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Espen?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 64,286 newborn American boys was named Espen. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.