Holding steady, #12,008 for boys today.
Popularity of Esten since 1915
Babies named Esten per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 18 |
| 1920s | 22 |
| 1930s | 0 |
| 1940s | 0 |
| 1950s | 0 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 6 |
| 1990s | 16 |
| 2000s | 63 |
| 2010s | 73 |
| 2020s | 40 |
Meaning & origin
Esten is a rare Scandinavian-inflected name that has seen modest, stable use in the United States since it first appeared in records in 1915. As of 2025, it ranked 12,008 in popularity, with about 1 in 341,615 newborns receiving the name. Its peak year was 2010, though even then it remained uncommon. The name's trajectory in recent decades has been stable, with no significant revival. While Esten has not been recorded in any top states, its simple, sturdy sound fits well with the modern trend toward short, Nordic names. Parents drawn to names like Soren or Leif may find Esten a distinctive choice that avoids the top 1,000.
Esten is likely a Scandinavian name, possibly a modern variant of Østen, which itself derives from Old Norse elements. It may be a short form of compound names like Eilifsten (from Eilif plus -sten) or Torsten (from Thor plus -sten). The name has seen occasional use in the United States, particularly in the 20th and 21st centuries, though it remains rare.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Est
Variants: Østen, Esten
Sibling names for Esten
Names that share Esten's style, for a brother or sister.
