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Home › Baby Names Directory › Sven

Sven

♂ Boy

Pronounced SVEHN /ˈsvɛn/High

Meaning: BoyHigh

In 30 seconds: Sven is a Swedish boy's name meaning simply 'boy' or 'young man.'
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Origin HighSwedish, Danish, Norwegian
MeaningBoy
U.S. rank (2025)#3645 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births31 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2015
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,515

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201519112025

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

Sven is a Scandinavian name, Swedish in this case, that translates as 'boy' or 'young man.' It has long been common across the Nordic countries in related spellings.

Forms like Svein, Svend, and the Old Norse Sveinn show how the name shifts across Scandinavian languages. Bearers include Dutch speed skater Sven Kramer, an Olympic 5000m champion.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Sven is 'boy', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 86%
Behind the Name - Sven — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

SveinSvendSoiniSveinn

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Sven Kramer (1986–present)
    Dutch speed skater, multiple Olympic 5000m gold medalist.
  • ★Sven Botman (2000–present)
    Dutch footballer, Newcastle United centre-back.

If you like Sven…

Olen— a fellow Norwegian choice
Thor— a similarly popular pick
Stellan— a similarly popular pick
Storm— a fellow Danish choice
Jensen— a fellow Danish choice

Explore names like Sven

By themeswedishnorwegian

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Sven mean?

Sven is usually explained as meaning 'boy' and is most often linked with Swedish tradition.

How do you pronounce Sven?

It's commonly said SVEHN /ˈsvɛn/.

Is Sven a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Sven is used as a boy name.

How popular is Sven?

In 2024, Sven ranked #2620 in the U.S. for boys, with 51 births recorded.

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