cool names ending on -en

Alden

English

"old, wise friend"

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,…

Boden

English or German surname, variation of Beauden, French

"hill shaped like a bow; floor; beautiful"

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,…

Arjen

Dutch variation of Arian, or Adrian

"noble, honorable; man of Adria"

Arjen is a Dutch name, sometimes viewed as a contracted form of Adrian, or as a variation of Ariën. Ariën itself is an alternative spelling of the Indo-Iranian Aryan and Arian, and was likely…

Arsen

Arsen is a strong masculine name with ancient roots, predominantly used in Armenian, Russian, and Eastern European cultures. Derived from the Greek name Arsenios, meaning 'virile' or 'strong,' it has…

Auden

English

"old friend"

The poetic, soft-spoken Auden has recently started to be considered as a first name option, used for both sexes, appreciated for its pleasing sound as well as its link to the distinguished modern…

Brecken

Variation of Breccan; Irish

"freckled, speckled"

Brecken is a fresh, distinctively Irish alternative to similar-sounding (and much more popular) Beckett or Beckham. While Brecken is a spelling variation of the original Breccan, it's the most…

Coren

Coren is a masculine name with roots possibly connecting to the Latin 'Quirinus' or as a variant of Corin, which derives from the Greek name 'Korinna' meaning 'maiden.' It may also have evolved as a…

Cullen

Irish

"holly tree"

Cullen is an appealing Irish surname name that upped its cool factor considerably when it became the Twilight family name of Edward et al. It's considerably less popular than it was at its peak in…

Espen

Scandinavian

"god bear"

Strong and unusual Scandinavian name, but with two possible pitfalls: people might mis-hear it as Aspen, or associate it with sports network ESPN. Variants include Esper and Esben.

Hadden

English

"heathery hill"

Rarely heard Hayden alternative -- though, mark our words, you'll spend your life correcting everyone's pronunciation and spelling.

Kellan

Spelling variation of Kellen

"swamp; slender"

Kellan Lutz is the attractive young actor who plays Emmett Cullen in the Twilight series.

Steen

Steen is a masculine name with Scandinavian and Dutch origins, derived from the word for "stone" (sten in Swedish/Norwegian/Danish, steen in Dutch). As a given name, it suggests qualities of…