Jacen is of Hebrew origin, meaning 'God will hear'. It's a variant spelling of the more familiar Jaxon and Jake. The name gained popularity in the late 20th century, likely due to its use in popular culture. In the Star Wars universe, Jacen Solo is a prominent character from the Expanded Universe, which may have contributed to its rise in usage.
The name Jacen experienced a significant increase in popularity over time, with a total of 2399 births recorded between 1970 and 2023. While the first decade saw fluctuations between 6 to 14 births per year, there was a notable surge starting from the mid-1990s onwards, reaching a peak of 175 births in 2013. However, since then, the popularity of the name Jacen has declined, with only 39 births recorded in 2022 and 46 in 2023.