How to say it
JEN · sen
ˈdʒɛn.sən
Masculine
Jensen
Son of Jens
What it means
A Danish and Norwegian patronymic surname, 'son of Jens,' Jens being the Scandinavian form of John.
Jensen is one of the most common surnames in Denmark, meaning 'son of Jens,' and Jens is the Nordic form of John, from the Hebrew for 'God is gracious.' It crossed into first-name use on the surname-as-first wave, with actor Jensen Ackles giving it a recent boost. Danes say YEN-sen; English speakers usually say JEN-sen. Jenson is the common variant.
How to spell Jensen
The standard spelling is Jensen. Common variants include Jenson, Jansen, Jenssen, but Jensen is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #282 in 2025, currently #282 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pronunciation
English JEN-sen; Danish YEN-sen.
- Spelling
A patronymic surname, 'son of Jens (John)'; Jenson is the lighter variant.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Jensen Ackles American actor, Dean Winchester on Supernatural
Spelling variants
- Jenson
- Jansen
- Jenssen
Names with the same feeling
See Jensen from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Jensen mean?
- A Danish and Norwegian patronymic surname, 'son of Jens,' Jens being the Scandinavian form of John.
- What does Jensen mean in Scandinavian?
- In Scandinavian, Jensen means "Son of Jens." Jensen is one of the most common surnames in Denmark, meaning 'son of Jens,' and Jens is the Nordic form of John, from the Hebrew for 'God is gracious.' It crossed into first-name use on the surname-as-first wave, with actor Jensen Ackles giving it a recent boost. Danes say YEN-sen; English speakers usually say JEN-sen. Jenson is the common variant.
- How do you pronounce Jensen?
- Jensen is pronounced ˈdʒɛn.sən. Say it as JEN-sen, with the stress on the "jen" syllable.
- How do you spell Jensen?
- The standard spelling is Jensen. Common spelling variants include Jenson, Jansen, Jenssen.
- Is Jensen a boy or girl name?
- Jensen is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Jensen?
- Jensen ranked #282 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.