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Torben

♂ Boy

Pronounced TOR-bən /ˈtɔr.bən/High

Meaning: From Old Norse Thorbjorn — Thor (the thunder god) plus bjorn, 'bear' — 'Thor's bear, thunder-bear'High

In 30 seconds: Thunder-bear and bold: Torben is the Danish 'Thor's bear' — fierce, strong, and Nordic. Handsome and proud.

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Origin HighOld Norse

MeaningFrom Old Norse Thorbjorn — Thor (the thunder god) plus bjorn, 'bear' — 'Thor's bear, thunder-bear'

U.S. rank (2025)#3373 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births35 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2025

Total births (all-time)≈ 431

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

Torben comes from Old Norse Thorbjorn — Thor, the thunder god, plus bjorn, 'bear' — 'Thor's bear, thunder-bear'. A strong, handsome name across Denmark and Scandinavia.

In the U.S. it appears in Scandinavian families. Rare, Thor's-bear at the root, and bold.

Did you know? Torben comes from Old Norse Thorbjorn — Thor (the thunder god) plus bjorn ('bear') — 'Thor's bear'; a fierce, strong Scandinavian classic.

Overall data confidence 82%

Behind the Name — Torben — etymology

Variations

ThorbjornTorbjornTorbin

Nicknames

Tor

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Torben…

Bjorn— the 'bear' element

Sven— a fellow Scandinavian name

Espen— shares Torben's Old Norse roots

Boden— a fellow Old Norse choice

Thorin— a fellow Old Norse choice

Explore names like Torben

By themescandinavian strength old-norse

By meaningGod / Divine

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Torben mean?

Torben is Old Norse for 'Thor's bear, thunder-bear'.

How do you pronounce Torben?

It's said TOR-bən /ˈtɔr.bən/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Torben a boy or girl name?

Torben is a boy's name.

How popular is Torben?

Torben is a rare name in the U.S.