Risen
A name derived from the past participle of "rise", implying ascendance or resurrection.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Risen. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Risen today is around 3 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Risen births was 2023 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Risen. 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 Risen. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2023
5 babies that year
Average age
3
years old
2023 SSA rank
#13,743
Tracked since 2023
Popularity
Risen: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Risen 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 Risen during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Risen
The given name Risen is of English origin and has its roots in the late Middle Ages, specifically from the 14th to 16th centuries. It is derived from the past participle of the verb "to rise," which itself stems from the Old English word "risan," meaning "to rise up or ascend."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Risen can be found in the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, where a character named Risen is mentioned as a wealthy merchant from London. This literary reference dates back to the late 14th century and suggests that the name was in use during that time period.
In the religious context, the name Risen may have been inspired by the biblical concept of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, as the term "risen" is often used to describe his rising from the dead after his crucifixion. However, there is no direct evidence linking the name to this religious event.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Risen was Risen Eversley, an English clergyman and author who lived from 1556 to 1623. He was known for his work "The Divine Consolations," published in 1597, which explored themes of spiritual guidance and comfort.
Another historical figure bearing the name was Risen Wilcox, an American politician and lawyer from Connecticut who lived from 1785 to 1854. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives between 1819 and 1825.
In the realm of literature, Risen Hawthorne was an American writer and poet who lived from 1804 to 1864. He was the younger brother of the famous author Nathaniel Hawthorne and published several works of poetry and prose during his lifetime.
Moving to the 20th century, Risen Fielding was a British actor and stage performer who lived from 1922 to 1998. He gained recognition for his roles in various theatrical productions and television shows throughout his career.
Lastly, Risen Llewellyn was a Welsh rugby union player who played as a flanker for the national team between 1949 and 1957. He was part of the team that won the Grand Slam in the Five Nations Championship in 1950 and is considered one of the greats of Welsh rugby.
People
Risen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Risen as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with R
Other first names starting with R with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Risen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Risen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Risen 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 Risen a common name?
We classify Risen 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 Risen most popular?
The single biggest year for Risen was 2023, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Risen is about 3 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 Risen in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Risen a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Risen 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 Risen still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Risen 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 Risen 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 Americans are named Risen?
See how many people share the name Risen on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.