Espen

At a Glance: Name: Espen – Meaning: god bear – Origin: Danish/Norwegian (from Old Norse) – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: ES-pen

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Espen is a boy's name with Danish and Norwegian roots, tracing back to Old Norse, where it carries the verified meaning "god bear." It's pronounced ES-pen (IPA /ˈɛspən/), and its catalog tags — global-explorer, modern-minimalist — reflect a name that reads as both worldly and pared-down. If you're weighing Espen, you're looking at a name with a documented Scandinavian meaning rather than a modern invention.

Meaning & Origin of Espen

Meaning: God bear.

Origin: Danish/Norwegian (from Old Norse).

Source: Wiktionary.

How to Pronounce Espen

Phonetic: ES-pen   IPA: /ˈɛspən/

Popularity of Espen

U.S. Social Security data from 1995 to 2024 shows Espen peaking in 2005 at rank #2916 with 36 babies given the name; by 2024 it had slipped to rank #3710 with 30 babies.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data via names_full.json, 1995–2024.

Make Espen Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Espen, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names without a catalog record, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

• Sten
• Axl
• Bjarne
• Einar
• Erling
• Halvor

FAQ

What does the name Espen mean?

God bear. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Espen)

How do you pronounce Espen?

Espen is pronounced ES-pen (IPA: /ˈɛspən/).

Is Espen a popular name right now?

Espen peaked at #2916 in 2005 and is ranked #3710 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1995–2024.)

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