Boy Names Ending in -en
by Pamela Redmond
Baby boy names ending in the letters -en are among the most fashionable names today, with choices such as Aiden, Hayden, and Owen leading the pack. Names rhyming with Aiden are especially popular, with seemingly any letter working in the lead and a range of spellings used in the middle.
Along with Aiden, the US Top 300 boy names include Brayden, both Cayden and Caden, three spellings starting with a J including Jaden and Jaiden and Jayden, plus three K versions including Kaden and Kaiden and Kayden. Further down the list, well-used boy names in this family also include Graydon and Zayden.
More classic boy names also are members of the trendy -en pack: think Stephen and Allen. Trendy en-ending names range from the literary Holden to the biblical Reuben to the surname-name Cohen. Unique boy names ending in -en that we recommend include Niven, O'Brien, and Quillen.
If you love the sound of boys' names that end in -en, be aware that the sound is more common than you'd think, given that it also includes boys' names that end in -an and -on, including such megapopular choices as Jackson, Mason, Ethan, and Jordan.
Here, all the boys' names on Nameberry that end in -en. The top names below rank among the current US Top 1000 Baby Names and are ordered by popularity. Unique names rank below the Top 1000 and are listed alphabetically.
Baby boy names ending in the letters -en are among the most fashionable names today, with choices such as Aiden, Hayden, and Owen leading the pack. Names rhyming with Aiden are especially popular, with seemingly any letter working in the lead and a range of spellings used in the middle.
Along with Aiden, the US Top 300 boy names include Brayden, both Cayden and Caden, three spellings starting with a J including Jaden and Jaiden and Jayden, plus three K versions including Kaden and Kaiden and Kayden. Further down the list, well-used boy names in this family also include Graydon and Zayden.
More classic boy names also are members of the trendy -en pack: think Stephen and Allen. Trendy en-ending names range from the literary Holden to the biblical Reuben to the surname-name Cohen. Unique boy names ending in -en that we recommend include Niven, O'Brien, and Quillen.
If you love the sound of boys' names that end in -en, be aware that the sound is more common than you'd think, given that it also includes boys' names that end in -an and -on, including such megapopular choices as Jackson, Mason, Ethan, and Jordan.
Here, all the boys' names on Nameberry that end in -en. The top names below rank among the current US Top 1000 Baby Names and are ordered by popularity. Unique names rank below the Top 1000 and are listed alphabetically.
- Soren
Origin:
Danish, NorwegianMeaning:
"stern"Description:
This gentle Scandinavian name, soft and sensitive, is being discovered in a major way by parents in the US. It's most closely identified with the nineteenth century philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, but there have been modern fictional Sorens as well, in The Matrix Reloaded and the book series Guardians of Ga'Hoole, Charlie and Lola, and Underworld.
- Owen
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"young warrior; well-born"Description:
Owen was derived from two names—the Welsh Owain and the Celtic Eoghan. Each are connected to Eugene, which ultimately came from the Greek word eugenes, comprised of the elements eu, meaning good, and genes, “born.” Owen became a Welsh patronymic surname during the Renaissance. The legendary St. Owen was a Benedictine monk who was a follower of St. Chad.
- Reuben
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"behold, a son"Description:
Reuben is derived from the Hebrew words ra’a, meaning "to see, to understand," and ben, "son." As a phrase it translates to "behold, a son." In the Bible, Reuben is Jacob's first-born son by Leah and the founder of one of the tribes of Israel.
- Hayden
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"fire"Description:
Hayden – a formerly obscure name that's risen to huge popularity – has dipped in this year's ratings. Though Hayden is among the most distinctive of the bunch, it gets lost in the crowd of Jaidens, Bradens, Aidans, and endless variations. Associated with Hayden Christensen, of Star Wars fame.
- Lucien
Origin:
French form of LucianMeaning:
"light"Description:
Sophisticated Gallic version of Lucian, Lucien may appeal to parents attracted to this meaning over that of Lucas and Luke, which have a different root, and also looking for a more unusual choice.
- Jayden
Origin:
Variation of Jaden or Jadon, HebrewMeaning:
"thankful"Description:
Although there is a genuine Biblical personage named Jadon — in the Old Testament, he helped rebuild the walls of Jerusalem — this version of the name can also be considered a modern invention. Jayden combines the “jay” sound found in the name Jason with the -den suffix used in names such as Aiden and Hayden. Other spellings include Jaydan, Jaydyn, Jaydon, Jaydin, and Jaden.
- Holden
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"hollow valley"Description:
Holden is a classic case of a name that jumped out of a book and onto birth certificates--though it took quite a while. Parents who loved J. D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye are flocking to the name of its hero, Holden Caulfield -- not coincidentally in tune with the Hudson-Hayden-Colton field of names. (Trivia note: Salinger supposedly came up with the name while looking at a movie poster promoting a film starring William Holden and Joan Caulfield, though other sources say he was named after Salinger's friend Holden Bowler.) Another impetus was provided by a soap opera character introduced in 1985.
- Jaden
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God has heard"Description:
While Jadon is the authentic biblical name, Jaden is by far the more popular spelling, first noticed when Will and Jada Pinkett Smith used it for their now grown (and famous) son. It has since swept the country for both sexes, with a wide variety of spellings and rhyming cousins.
- Ren
Origin:
Diminutive of Rene or JapaneseMeaning:
"water lily; lotus"Description:
A very popular name for boys, also used for girls, in Japan, most familiar in the West as half of cartoon's "Ren and Stimpy," and as the hero in both the original and updated versions of "Footloose."
- Damien
Origin:
French from GreekMeaning:
"to tame, subdue"Description:
Converting Damian to Damien – or Julian to Julien or Lucian to Lucien – adds a certain je ne sais quoi to names. But most people in English speaking areas will still pronounce this the same as the -an ending form. The French pronunciation is more like "dah-mee-u(n)".
- Warren
Origin:
English from FrenchMeaning:
"park-keeper"Description:
Long lingering in limbo, Warren suddenly seems to be on the cusp of revival. One of the oldest recorded English surnames, Warren's popularity in the U.S. dates back to the nineteenth century, and by 1921, reached its peak at Number 24.
- Oren
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"laurel or pine tree"Description:
Soft and sensitive name often heard in Israel.
- Aiden
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"little and fiery"Description:
Aiden in all its spelling variations is the anglicized version of the Irish Aodhán, which was originally a pet form of the Irish name Aodh (pronounced 'ee'), who was the old Celtic god of the sun and fire. St. Aidan was a famous seventh century Irish saint, noted for his kindness and generosity and for spreading Christianity.
- Coen
Origin:
Dutch diminutive of CoenraadMeaning:
"bold advisor"Description:
Like many short forms now popular as full names in the Netherlands, Coen—also spelled Koen—originated as the diminutive of the more old-fashioned Coenraad, the Dutch Conrad. May be confused in the US with Cohen, which stems from the Jewish surname designating a priest.
- Kellen
Origin:
German; IrishMeaning:
"swamp; slender"Description:
Kellen is German in origin and Irish in spirit. Kellen has fallen a bit in popularity for boys since its peak in 2012, but it has possibilities for girls too. In fact, Kellen's similarity to such feminine names as Helen, Ellen, and Kelly makes it feel more unisex or even female, though Twilight actor Kellan Lutz has done much to popularize this name for boys.
- Alden
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"old, wise friend"Description:
Hot young actor Alden Ehrenreich, the new Han Solo, gives this formerly-stodgy surname name an attractive new image, making it a fresh successor to Aiden or Holden. Before it got this fresh shine, Alden was among the classic Thanksgiving baby names.
- Cohen
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"priest"Description:
Cohen is a common last name among Jews and an important spiritual name in the Jewish religion, associated with the hereditary priests who claimed descent from the biblical Aaron. As a result of its religious significance, Cohen is considered by some to be inappropriate to use as a first name, particularly by people with no Jewish heritage.
- Camden
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"winding valley"Description:
Camden is a surprise hit, probably as a result of some star baby cred: it has been chosen by no less than four celebrity parents since 2012. Camden is a Jersey Boy name, along with equally popular Trenton -- these are two cases where the names are more attractive than the places that inspired them.
- Wren
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"small bird"Description:
Wren may not be as time-honored a bird name choice as Robin or even Lark, but it's more fashionable. Given to just a handful of children a decade ago, in 2021 there were over 1200 girls and nearly 200 boys in the US given this cool and quirky name.
- Boden
Origin:
English or German surnameMeaning:
"hill shaped like a bow or floor"Description:
Boden is most often inspired by the clothing catalog of the same name, and it feels like an appropriate first name for boys because of its stylish two-syllable -n ending rhythm, a la Logan, Mason, Owen, and other trendy choices. While Boden or Bowden is a fairly common English surname, in German it is the everyday name for "floor". Boden entered the US Top 1000 in 2014. You might also consider Bowen, Bode, Bodhi, and Bowie.