Name meaning & stats
Espen
Espen. 863 US babies since 1940, peak 2016. Notable Espens are 1.9× over-represented as musicians.
What it means
No agreed meaning on record
In US birth records
Peak year: 2016
863 US babies were named Espen between 1940 and 2025.
Espen around the world
- Norway: 14,684 babies since 1945, peak 1973, No. 417 in 2025
- Sweden: 75 babies since 1998, peak 2017, No. 866 in 2022
- England & Wales: 77 babies since 1996, peak 2018, No. 4,213 in 2025
From official birth registries. Sources are listed on About the data.
Where Espens end up
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Footballer | 1.4× | High · 33 people |
| Musician | 1.9× | Medium · 15 people |
| Actor | 1.0× | Medium · 11 people |
| Journalist | 1.5× | Medium · 11 people |
Among notable men who are musicians, Espens show up 1.9× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people of every nationality born 1940–2005 (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
One more thing…
Espens are 1.6× more likely than expected to be ice hockey players.
The surprise career: Low confidence · 8 notable people.
Other spellings
The most common spelling: 79% of Espens use it
- Espen 79%
- Espn 21%
Names that sound the same, grouped by Heyotag. Share of US babies since 1940.
Name twins (peaked around 2016)