Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 2015

Sven

Meaning A male given name from Swedish Gender Boy Rank 2025 #3,645 Trend ↓ Falling 12%

A male given name from Swedish.

Rank 2025
#3,645
among boys · ↓1,015 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
31
named Sven · -39% vs 2024
How common
1 in 55,099
boys born in 2025
Peak year
2015
58 babies
All-time total
2,517
#2,859 all-time among boys
First recorded
1911
in Social Security records

Sven popularity over time

2,517 babies have been named Sven since 1911, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.020.030.0418801900192019401960198020002020Peak 2020Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s 67 7 – #1,715
1920s 81 8 +21% #2,146
1930s 85 9 +5% #2,066
1940s 63 6 -26% #2,391
1950s 143 14 +127% #1,702
1960s 297 30 +108% #1,113
1970s 293 29 -1% #1,276
1980s 254 25 -13% #1,811
1990s 261 26 +3% #2,442
2000s 272 27 +4% #2,946
2010s 418 42 +54% #2,293
2020s (to 2025) 283 47 +13% #2,462

Where Sven is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 boys Implied rank
2026 30 0.02 outside top 500
2027 29 0.02 outside top 500
2028 29 0.02 outside top 500
2029 28 0.02 outside top 500
2030 28 0.02 outside top 500

The story of Sven

Sven is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,645 in 2025 with 31 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.

Since 1911, 2,517 American babies have been named Sven. Its peak came in 2015, when 58 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2010s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Sven stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Sven?

The median living Sven is about 29 years old; half are between 11 and 51. An estimated 2,100 people named Sven are alive in the United States today.

median 29 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Sven year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 31 #3,645
2024 51 #2,630
2023 53 #2,535
2022 51 #2,642
2021 44 #2,854
2020 53 #2,462
2019 53 #2,520
2018 52 #2,501
2017 37 #3,187
2016 36 #3,216
2015 58 #2,293
2014 56 #2,341
2013 33 #3,327
2012 34 #3,291
2011 24 #4,201
2010 35 #3,230
2009 28 #3,814
2008 33 #3,412
2007 25 #4,106
2006 31 #3,443
2005 18 #4,797
2004 35 #2,946
2003 20 #4,258
2002 27 #3,334
2001 26 #3,397
2000 29 #3,063
1995 22 #3,177
1990 22 #2,946
1985 18 #2,815
1980 25 #2,157
1975 24 #1,995
1970 43 #1,276
1965 32 #1,379
1960 28 #1,546
1955 14 #2,212
1950 10 #2,560
1945 7 #2,969
1940 5 #3,886
1935 10 #2,512
1930 15 #2,066
1925 5 #4,799
1920 – –
1915 11 #2,437
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Sven

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Sven Ulreich Sven Ulreich German footballer (born 1988) Contemporary
  2. 2 Sven Erik Kristiansen Sven Erik Kristiansen Norwegian vocalist (born 1969) Contemporary
  3. 3 Sven Hassel Danish writer (1917–2012) Contemporary
  4. 4 Sven Väth Sven Väth German DJ and producer (born 1964) Contemporary
  5. 5 Sven Hedin Sven Hedin Swedish geographer, explorer, photographer, and illustrator (1865–1952) 19th century
  6. 6 Sven Kramer Sven Kramer Dutch speed skater (born 1986) Contemporary
  7. 7 Sven Nykvist Sven Nykvist Swedish cinematographer (1922-2006) Contemporary
  8. 8 Sven Hannawald Sven Hannawald German ski jumper (born 1974) Contemporary
  9. 9 Sven Lindqvist Sven Lindqvist Swedish author (1932–2019) Contemporary
  10. 10 Sven Nordqvist Sven Nordqvist Swedish children's book writer and illustrator b. 1946 · Contemporary
  11. 11 Sven Nys Sven Nys Belgian cyclist (born 1976) Contemporary
  12. 12 Sven Jonasson Sven Jonasson Swedish footballer 1909–1984 · Contemporary
  13. 13 Sven Tumba Sven Tumba Swedish athlete (1931–2011) Contemporary
  14. 14 Sven Vermant Sven Vermant Belgian football manager and former player b. 1973 · Contemporary
  15. 15 Sven Rydell Sven Rydell Swedish footballer (1905–1975) Contemporary
  16. 16 Sven Fischer Sven Fischer German biathlete (born 1971) Contemporary
  17. 17 Sven van Beek Sven van Beek Dutch footballer (born 1994) Contemporary
  18. 18 Sven Kums Sven Kums Belgian footballer b. 1988 · Contemporary
  19. 19 Sven Davidson Sven Davidson Swedish tennis player 1928–2008 · Contemporary
  20. 20 Sven Mikser Sven Mikser Estonian politician (born 1973) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Sven, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Sven?

The median living Sven is about 29 years old. Half of all living Svens are between 11 and 51 years old.

How many people named Sven are alive today?

An estimated 2,100 people named Sven are alive in the United States, based on 2,517 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Sven mean?

A male given name from Swedish.

How popular is the name Sven in 2025?

Sven ranked #3,645 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 31 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Sven?

2,517 babies have been named Sven in the United States since 1911, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Sven most popular?

Sven peaked in 2015, when 58 newborns received the name.

Is Sven a boy or girl name?

Sven is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Sven rising or falling?

Sven has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Will Sven become more popular?

Sven is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 28 boys named Sven in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Sven?

Well-known people named Sven include Sven Ulreich (soccer player), Sven Erik Kristiansen (musician), Sven Hassel (writer).

Names like Sven

Names that sound and feel close to Sven: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Sven with similar names → More names starting with S →