Rising since 1992, #1,382 for girls today.
Popularity of Arwen since 1968
Babies named Arwen per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 10 |
| 1970s | 213 |
| 1980s | 170 |
| 1990s | 39 |
| 2000s | 856 |
| 2010s | 1,062 |
| 2020s | 949 |
Meaning & origin
Arwen is a literary name from J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, meaning 'noble maiden' in Sindarin. First recorded in the U.S. in 1968, the name was used sporadically until the early 2000s when the Lord of the Rings films brought it into wider awareness. By 2025, Arwen ranked 1382, given to about 1 in 10173 baby girls. Its popularity has been rising steadily since 1992, peaking in 2023. The name is most popular in Kansas, Kentucky, and Colorado. Arwen remains a distinctive choice, strongly tied to its fantasy origins.
Arwen is a name invented by J.R.R. Tolkien for his Middle-earth writings, first appearing in The Lord of the Rings (published 1954-1955). It is composed of Sindarin elements 'ara' (noble, royal) and 'wen' (maiden), yielding the meaning 'noble maiden.' The name gained real-world use following the popularity of the films in the early 2000s, and its first recorded U.S. birth was in 1968, predating the films due to influence of the books.
Where Arwen is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Arwen” around the world
Where Arwen lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
65
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Sibling names for Arwen
Names that share Arwen's style, for a brother or sister.
