Given name & surname
Bjorn
“resembling a bear”
Bjorn is used as a given name and a surname. One Scandinavian interpretation is “resembling a bear.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Scandinavian interpretation is “resembling a bear.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Scandinavian.
How it developed
In Cebuano usage, Bjorn developed from Björn.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1925. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Bjorn through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 5,255
- 5,255 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 331 babies
- 2025
- 298
- #829 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +35%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 298 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 829 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 35.0% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Minnesota had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (23). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 3,776 as a first name in 2020; 477 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.
Bjorn’s family of names
In Cebuano usage, Bjorn developed from the Swedish form Björn. Bjorn has a related form in Bjarne. Bjorn has a related form in Bjarn.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Bjorn has relatives in 5 languages. Lines run from its Old Norse roots to each of them.
Old Norsewhere Bjorn comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 4
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 5
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Bjorn
- Bjorn FratangeloAmerican tennis playerborn 1993
- Bjorn MeijerDutch footballerborn 2003
- Bjorn FortuinSouth African cricketerborn 1994
- Bjorn KristensenMaltese footballerborn 1993
- Bjorn van den EndeDutch rowerborn 1986
- Bjorn PoonenAmerican mathematicianborn 1968
- BJ McKieAmerican basketball player (born 1977)
- Bjorn HaneveerBelgian snooker playerborn 1976
- Bjorn RuytinxBelgian professional footballerborn 1980
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Bjorn, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Boden
“one who brings news; a herald” · “one who provides shelter or is sheltered”
>99% boys
Bo
“a precious daughter” · “a lively woman”
95% boys · 5% girls
Osman
“protected by God”
>99% boys
Odin
Odin is a masculine given name from Old Norse. It is used in Norwegian Nynorsk.
>99% boys
Soren
“one who is strict; stern”
94% boys · 6% girls
Kallan
“of the flowing water” · “powerful in battle”
83% boys · 17% girls
Leif
“a beloved heir”
>99% boys
Larson
“the son of Lawrence”
92% boys · 8% girls