NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Arjen

A masculine Dutch name of unknown origin, possibly related to "free" or "eagle".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Arjen is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Arjen popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4789, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 8 births.

This profile covers 57 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 2004 to 2021. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 38% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 57 living people in the UK are called Arjen. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2022 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Arjen ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales in 2021, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2005, when 8 boys were registered as Arjen.
  • About 57 living people in the UK are estimated to have Arjen as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4789

2021

Births in 2021

3

Latest year

Peak year

2005

8 births

Estimated living

57

2026

Meaning

What does Arjen mean?

The name Arjen is derived from the Dutch language and has its origins in the Netherlands. It is a variant of the Old Dutch name Arend, which means "eagle" or "noble bird." The name can be traced back to the 8th century in the Germanic languages.

Arjen was a popular name among the Dutch nobility and the upper classes during the Middle Ages. It was often given to boys born into wealthy or influential families, as the name symbolized strength, courage, and nobility, qualities that were highly valued at the time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Arjen can be found in the medieval Dutch chronicle "Rijmkroniek van Holland," written in the 13th century. The chronicle mentions an Arjen van Leiden, a nobleman from the city of Leiden who played a role in the region's political affairs.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Arjen. One of the most famous was Arjen Robben, a Dutch professional footballer born in 1984. He played for top clubs like Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich, and was a key member of the Netherlands national team.

Another prominent figure was Arjen Lubach, a Dutch comedian, satirist, and television presenter born in 1979. He is known for his satirical news program "Zondag met Lubach," which addresses various social and political issues in a humorous and thought-provoking manner.

In the literary world, Arjen Lucassen is a Dutch musician and songwriter born in 1960. He is the founder of the progressive rock project Ayreon and has gained a cult following for his conceptual albums and storytelling through music.

The name Arjen also has historical ties to the Dutch Golden Age, a period of great cultural and economic prosperity in the 17th century. Arjen van der Meer, a Dutch mathematician born in 1598, made significant contributions to the field of geometry and was a contemporary of the famous philosopher and mathematician René Descartes.

Another notable figure from this era was Arjen Huygen van Buchel, a Dutch jurist and diplomat born in 1585. He served as a representative of the Dutch Republic in various European courts and played a crucial role in the negotiations that led to the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, ending the Thirty Years' War.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Arjen over time

The chart below shows babies named Arjen registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2004 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Arjen, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2021, compared with 8 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Arjen
02468200420122021

Decades

Arjen by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Arjen was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #4789 3 1
2010s #3579 29 6
2000s #3112 25 5

Related

Names similar to Arjen

FAQ

Arjen: questions and answers

How popular is the name Arjen in the UK right now?

In 2021, Arjen was ranked #4789 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Arjen most popular?

The peak year on record was 2005, with 8 babies registered as Arjen in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Arjen?

A masculine Dutch name of unknown origin, possibly related to "free" or "eagle".

How many people are called Arjen in the UK?

A total of 57 babies have been registered as Arjen across the 12 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.