Given name & surname
Thorn
“from the thorn bush”
Thorn is a variant of Thorne. One English interpretation is “from the thorn bush.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Thorn is a variant of Thorne. One English interpretation is “from the thorn bush.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Thorn is a variant of Thorne. An origin associated with Thorne is English.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1958. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Thorn through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 313
- 313 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1988
- 16 babies
- 2025
- 10
- #8,189 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −12%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 10 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 8,189 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 12.5% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 16 in 1988. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 406 as a first name in 2020; 9,282 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.
Thorn’s family of names
Thorn has a related form in Thorne. In English usage, Thorn as a surname has a related form in Thorne. In Greek usage, Thorn as a surname is a transliteration of Θορν.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
Similar names
If you love Thorn, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Stephan
“crowned with garland”
>99% boys
Tevin
“son of Kevin”
>99% boys
Sheldon
“from the steep valley”
>99% boys
Tre
“the third-born child”
>99% boys
Devan
“from the beautiful farmland; of the divine”
85% boys · 15% girls
Johnathon
“God has given” · “a gift of God”
>99% boys
Pierre
“as solid and strong as a rock”
>99% boys
Minh
“a clever man”
92% boys · 8% girls