Espen is a Scandinavian male given name of Norse origin, derived from the Old Norse word "Áspatrin," which translates to "god's horse." It gained popularity throughout Scandinavia in the Middle Ages and continues to be widely used today, particularly in Norway where it ranks among the top 100 most popular names.
The name Espen experienced a notable increase in popularity between 2014 and 2019, with a significant peak of 18 births each in 2016 and again in 2022. However, it seems to have declined slightly in recent years, with 11 births recorded in 2023. Overall, there were a total of 126 babies named Espen between 2014 and 2023.