Given name & surname · also Danish
Andersen
Andersen is a surname from Danish, ultimately from Norwegian. It is used in English, Norwegian Bokmål, Danish, and Icelandic.
Meaning & origin
Where it comes from
Andersen comes from Danish, and ultimately from Norwegian.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
How it developed
In English usage, Andersen as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to Anders.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1988. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Andersen through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,284
- 948 boys · 336 girls
- Most popular year
- 2016
- 70 babies
- 2025
- 52
- #3,955 for boys · #5,108 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −25%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 65% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 27 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 3,955 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 41.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 50 in 2015. It also appeared in 25 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Florida had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (5). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,056 as a first name in 2020; 36,548 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Andersen’s family of names
In Norwegian Bokmål usage, Andersen as a surname shares a linguistic root with the English form Anderson. In German usage, Andersen as a surname has a related form in Andersson. In Danish usage, Andersen as a surname has a conventional equivalent in the English form Anderson.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Andersen has relatives in 8 languages. Lines run from its Norwegian roots to each of them.
11 related names in 8 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 4
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
Similar names
If you love Andersen, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Amaree
“having great strength; a builder” · “one who will be forever beautiful”
52% boys · 48% girls
Aiman
45% boys · 55% girls
Armani
“one who is desired; a goal”
56% boys · 44% girls
Yuriah
49% boys · 51% girls
Kamaree
66% boys · 34% girls
Amari
“having great strength; a builder”
66% boys · 34% girls
Prestyn
“from the priest's town”
61% boys · 39% girls
Azariah
“one who is helped by God”
52% boys · 48% girls