Sven
A male given name from Swedish.
Every Sven since 1911 — 2,517 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
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.
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
- Sven Hedin Explorer · 1865–1952
- Sven Hassel Writer · 1917–2012
- Sven Nykvist Film director · 1922–2006
- Sven Rydell Soccer player · 1905–1975
- Sven Nordqvist Writer · b. 1946
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
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.
Who are famous people named Sven?
Well-known people named Sven include Sven Hedin (explorer), Sven Hassel (writer), Sven Nykvist (film director).