Esben

♂ Boy

Pronounced ES-ben /ˈɛs.bɛn/High

Meaning: A Danish form of Asbjorn — from the Old Norse ass, 'a god', + bjorn, 'a bear', hence 'bear of God; divine bear'Low

In 30 seconds: Bear of God; divine bear: Esben is Danish. Crisp, classic, and warm.

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Origin LowDanish, Norse

MeaningA Danish form of Asbjorn — from the Old Norse ass, 'a god', + bjorn, 'a bear', hence 'bear of God; divine bear'

U.S. rank (2025)#11076 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2021

Total births (all-time)≈ 143

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Esben is a Danish form of Asbjorn — from the Old Norse ass, 'a god', + bjorn, 'a bear', hence 'bear of God; divine bear'. A crisp, classic name (said 'ES-ben').

In the U.S. it appears in Danish and Scandinavian families. Rare, bear-of-God at the root, and crisp.

Did you know? Esben is a Danish form of Asbjorn — Old Norse 'bear of God' (ass, 'a god', + bjorn, 'a bear') — a crisp, strong name (said 'ES-ben').

Overall data confidence 38%

References — Esben — Danish; Norse etymology

Variations

AsbjornEspenEsbern

Nicknames

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Esben…

Espen— a kin Norwegian form

Bjorn— the 'bear' element

Soren— a fellow Danish boys' name

Even— another Norse name

Jensen— lands in the same popularity range

Explore names like Esben

By themenorse danish

By meaningGod / Divine

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Esben mean?

Esben is a Danish form of Asbjorn — Old Norse 'bear of God' (ass + bjorn).

How do you pronounce Esben?

It's said ES-ben /ˈɛs.bɛn/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Esben a boy or girl name?

Esben is a boy's name.

How popular is Esben?

Esben is a very rare name in the U.S.