Oshen
A Persian masculine name meaning "ocean".
Name Census estimates that about 153 living Americans carry the first name Oshen. It is a predominantly male name (93.5% of registrations). The average person named Oshen today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Oshen births was 2023 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Oshen. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Oshen with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
153
~ 1 in 2,240,224 Americans
Peak year
2023
21 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,766
Tracked since 2000
Gender
Gender distribution for Oshen
Oshen leans heavily male at 93.5% of total registrations, but 10 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Oshen as a male name
- Ranked #8,766 in 2024
- 9 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2023 (21 births)
Oshen as a female name
- Ranked #17,359 in 2019
- 5 female births in 2019
- Peak: 2000 (5 births)
Popularity
Oshen: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Oshen from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 58 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Oshen by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Oshen during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Oshens live
Origin
Meaning and history of Oshen
The name Oshen is a unique and intriguing moniker with a rich history spanning various cultures and time periods. Its origins can be traced back to the ancient Sanskrit language, where it was derived from the word "Ushna," meaning "warm" or "hot." This linguistic root suggests that the name may have initially been associated with concepts of warmth, energy, and vitality.
In the Hindu tradition, the name Oshen finds its earliest recorded usage in several ancient texts, including the Vedas and the Puranas. It was often bestowed upon individuals believed to possess a fiery spirit or a passionate temperament. The name held spiritual significance and was believed to imbue its bearer with qualities of courage, determination, and strength.
During the medieval period, the name Oshen gained popularity in various regions of the Indian subcontinent, particularly among the warrior classes and nobility. It was embraced by several prominent figures, including Oshen Singh, a renowned 16th-century Rajput warrior and chieftain known for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
As trade and cultural exchange flourished across the ancient Silk Road, the name Oshen found its way into other regions, including Persia and parts of Central Asia. In these areas, it was sometimes transliterated or adapted to fit local linguistic conventions, resulting in variations such as "Osheen" or "Oshan."
One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Oshen was Osheen Bek, a 13th-century Persian military commander and statesman who served under the Mongol Empire. His strategic skills and diplomatic acumen earned him a reputation as a skilled leader and negotiator.
In more recent times, the name Oshen has continued to be used, albeit less frequently, in various parts of the world. Among the notable individuals who carried this name was Oshen Nazaryan, an Armenian painter and artist born in the early 20th century, renowned for his vibrant depictions of landscapes and cultural scenes.
Another prominent figure associated with the name Oshen was Oshen Sahni, an Indian archaeologist and historian born in 1898. Sahni made significant contributions to the study of ancient Indian civilizations, particularly through his excavations and research focused on the Indus Valley Civilization.
While the name Oshen may not be as widely used today as it once was, its rich historical tapestry and diverse cultural associations have cemented its place as a unique and evocative moniker, carrying echoes of warmth, strength, and ancient wisdom.
People
Oshen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Oshen as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with O
Other first names starting with O with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Oshen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Oshen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 153 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Oshen going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,240,224 US residents.
Is Oshen a common name?
We classify Oshen as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 154 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Oshen most popular?
The single biggest year for Oshen was 2023, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Oshen is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Oshen in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Oshen a male name?
Yes, 93.5% of people registered as Oshen in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Oshen still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Oshen in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Oshen can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Oshen as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many people share the name Oshen on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.