Effren
A masculine name of Scottish origin meaning "ever-ready" or "vigorous".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Effren. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Effren today is around 17 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Effren births was 2009 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Effren. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Effren. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2009
5 babies that year
Average age
17
years old
2009 SSA rank
#13,013
Tracked since 2009
Popularity
Effren: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Effren 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 Effren during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Effren
The name Effren is of Hebrew origin, with roots dating back to ancient times. It is a variant spelling of the name Ephraim, which derives from the Hebrew phrase "ephri rah," meaning "doubly fruitful" or "twice fruitful." This name was borne by one of the sons of Joseph in the biblical Book of Genesis.
In the Old Testament, Ephraim was one of the twelve tribes of Israel, and the name held significance in the ancient Hebrew culture. The tribe of Ephraim was known for its strength and military prowess, and the name Effren may have been associated with these qualities.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Effren can be found in the writings of the historian Flavius Josephus, who lived in the first century AD. He documented the name as a variant spelling used among certain Jewish communities in the ancient world.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the name Effren. One of the earliest was Effren the Patrician, a high-ranking Byzantine official who lived in the 5th century AD. He served as a diplomatic envoy and played a significant role in the negotiations between the Byzantine Empire and the Huns.
In the 12th century, Effren of Nevers was a French nobleman and crusader who participated in the Third Crusade. He was known for his bravery and military leadership during the campaign to reclaim Jerusalem from Muslim rule.
During the Renaissance period, Effren Aldobrandini was an Italian cardinal and patron of the arts. He commissioned several notable works of art, including the famous Aldobrandini Wedding fresco, which is now housed in the Vatican Museums.
In the 19th century, Effren Jones was a Welsh writer and scholar known for his contributions to the study of Welsh language and literature. He published several books and essays on the subject, helping to preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage of Wales.
More recently, Effren Zimbalist Jr. was an American actor best known for his role as Stuart Bailey in the television series "77 Sunset Strip." He had a long and successful career in film and television, spanning several decades from the 1950s to the 1990s.
While the name Effren is not as common today as it once was, it remains a fascinating glimpse into the rich cultural and historical tapestry woven by the diverse peoples and traditions of the ancient world.
People
Effren + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Effren as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Effren: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Effren?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Effren 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Effren a common name?
We classify Effren as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Effren most popular?
The single biggest year for Effren was 2009, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Effren is about 17 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 Effren in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Effren a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Effren 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 Effren still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Effren 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 Effren 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 the name Effren?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.