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Boy name · Hebrew

Cohen

Name meaning, origin and popularity

: from a Jewish surname meaning priest

Cohen is a boy's name that comes from a Hebrew surname meaning "priest". It is used in English.

Meaning
From a Jewish surname meaning priest
Origin
Hebrew
Gender
Boy
US rank
#225 in 2025

Meaning and origin of Cohen

As a boy's name, Cohen comes from a Hebrew surname meaning "priest". It is used in English.

Cohen is also a surname: the 355th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 86,401 people. See the most common last names.

Meaning checked against Behind the Name. How we research names

How popular is Cohen?

US rank in 2025
#225
1,590 babies, 931 per million boys
Best rank
#225 in 2025
1,590 babies that year
Babies since 1912
At least 23,040
Years with under 5 are not listed
1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
Babies per million US boys, by decade (the 2020s so far, to 2025). Highest in the 2020s, at 783 per million.
Babies named Cohen per million US boys, by decade; highest in the 2020s
1880s0 per million
1890s0 per million
1900s0 per million
1910s5 per million
1920s6 per million
1930s1 per million
1940s1 per million
1950s0 per million
1960s0 per million
1970s1 per million
1980s2 per million
1990s13 per million
2000s227 per million
2010s529 per million
2020s783 per million
US rank by year
Year2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Rank#321#314#305#299#286#287#277#247#239#225

Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.

Names spelled like Cohen

One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.

  • ColinWhelp, young dog (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
  • ConanLittle hound or little wolf (Irish Gaelic, boy)
  • CadenMeaning unknown; sometimes from the Irish surname Mac Cadáin (Irish Gaelic, boy)
  • ChanBrilliant, dazzling (depends on hanja) (Korean, boy)
  • ChengAccomplished; sincere (depends on characters) (Chinese, boy)
  • CheoPet form of José (Spanish, boy)
  • CihanWorld (Persian, unisex)
  • ColeFrom a surname from Nicholas or the byname Cola, charcoal (Old English, boy)
  • CollenHazel tree (Welsh, boy)

Names with a similar meaning

  • MiriamForm of Mary, meaning uncertain; perhaps Egyptian beloved (Hebrew, girl)
  • AaronProbably Egyptian, meaning unknown; Hebrew theories say exalted (Hebrew, boy)
  • AlanMeaning uncertain; perhaps little rock, or from the Alans (Brythonic, boy)
  • AthenaMeaning unknown; the Greek goddess of wisdom (Greek, girl)
  • DeclanMeaning unknown, though likely begins with Old Irish dag, good (Irish Gaelic, boy)
  • EvelynFrom a surname derived from the given name Aveline (English, girl)
  • GrahamFrom a surname from the place name Grantham, probably gravelly homestead (Old English, boy)
  • JacksonFrom a surname meaning son of Jack (English, boy)
  • KennedyFrom an Irish surname, from Cennétig, armoured or misshapen head (Irish Gaelic, girl)
  • MariaGreek and Latin form of Miriam, of uncertain meaning (Hebrew, girl)
  • NayeliPossibly from Zapotec words meaning I love you or open (Zapotec, girl)
  • NolanFrom an Irish surname derived from nuall, famous, loud (Irish Gaelic, boy)
  • XimenaFeminine of Ximeno, a medieval Spanish name of uncertain meaning (Spanish, girl)
  • AdairFrom a surname derived from Edgar (English, unisex)
  • AmariMeaning uncertain, perhaps from Arabic Ammar (Arabic, unisex)

Middle names for Cohen

Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.

  • AlexanderDefender of men (Greek, boy)
  • BernardBrave bear (Germanic, boy)
  • DennisOf Dionysus (Greek, boy)
  • FlorianFlourishing, blossoming (Latin, boy)
  • HowellEminent, conspicuous (Welsh, boy)
  • LelandFallow land (Old English, boy)
  • TobiasGod is good (Hebrew, boy)
  • WalkerCloth fuller (English, boy)

More boy names from Hebrew

  • AdamMan, humankind (Hebrew, boy)
  • DavidBeloved one (Hebrew, boy)
  • DanielGod is my judge (Hebrew, boy)
  • NoahRest, repose (Hebrew, boy)
  • EliasMy God is Yahweh (Hebrew, boy)
  • GabrielGod is my strength (Hebrew, boy)
  • AxelMy father is peace (Hebrew, boy)
  • BenjaminSon of the right hand (Hebrew, boy)
  • IsaacHe will laugh (Hebrew, boy)
  • JanGod is gracious (Hebrew, boy)
  • JonathanYahweh has given (Hebrew, boy)
  • SamuelName of God (Hebrew, boy)
  • SimonHe has heard (Hebrew, boy)
  • AbelBreath (Hebrew, boy)
  • BenSon of the right hand (Hebrew, boy)
  • EthanFirm, enduring (Hebrew, boy)
  • IbrahimFather of many nations (Hebrew, boy)
  • JoelYahweh is God (Hebrew, boy)

Cohen: common questions

What does the name Cohen mean?

Cohen comes from a Hebrew surname meaning "priest". Checked against Behind the Name.

Is Cohen a boy or girl name?

Cohen is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 37 girls and 1,590 boys in the US were named Cohen, according to Social Security Administration data.

Where does the name Cohen come from?

Cohen comes from a Hebrew surname meaning "priest". Today it is used in English.

How popular is the name Cohen?

Cohen ranked #225 in the US in 2025, with 1,590 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

What names are similar to Cohen?

Names spelled like Cohen include Colin, Conan, Caden, Chan and Cheng.

What middle names go with Cohen?

Middle names that flow well with Cohen include Alexander, Bernard, Dennis, Florian and Howell. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.