Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Cohen

Cohen is the transferred use of a Jewish surname, from the Hebrew “kohen” meaning ‘priest’. The surname Cohen is as common to Jews as Smith is to the English-speaking world. The Jewish Kohens are distinguished as hereditary priests directly descended from the biblical Aaron (the brother of Moses and who was appointed by God as the first High Priest of Israel). As a forename, Cohen is a recent 21st century coinage. It is most successful in Canada where it ranked as the 48th most popular boy’s name in 2010.

All About the Baby Name – Cohen

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME COHEN

The number Nine personality represents the completion or ending of the cycle, and a need for perfection. This is the personality that moves from "self" to a greater understanding and compassion for the human condition and the world order. They want to make the world a better place. Nines are capable of great spiritual and humanitarian achievements. They are courageous and fearless, able to fight great battles on behalf of worthy causes. These personalities will not tolerate injustice. They are compassionate people with a strong sensitivity to others. They are able to both educate and inspire. Friendships and relationships are the lifeblood to the Nine, and they place a high value on love and affection. Nines are often exceptionally gifted artistically, and they have a keen imagination and enterprising mind.

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME COHEN

Cohen first appeared on the U.S. popularity charts in 2004 and has quickly risen to levels of semi-moderate use. It appears as if the name’s sudden usage is being driven by the “Last Names First” naming trend. This surname naming style has been in full swing since the 1980s so we would no longer consider it a fleeting fad. In an attempt to differentiate themselves, American parents are reacting by introducing more and more surnames into the mix. Cohen is one of the newer examples of this and we suspect that people of non-Jewish heritage are using this name on their little boys. If so, it may be considered slightly intrusive by some (or perhaps these gentiles are simply Judeophiles). Who’s to say? In any case, Cohen is a distinctly Jewish surname and has significant Hebrew roots. If you’re not Jewish, you should probably have a good justification for using this name other than “it just sounds cute”. Otherwise, you might consider any one of the following names for your little boy: Priest, Reverend, Pastor, Father, Minister, Rabbi or Imam. Jus’ sayin’!

Quick Facts

ON COHEN

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

Hebrew

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

368

PRONUNCIATION:

KO-әn

SIMPLE MEANING:

Priest

Characteristics

OF COHEN

Multi-talented

Intuitive

Oneness

Idealistic

Philanthropy

Independent

Perfection

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Cohen

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME COHEN

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Cohen

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME COHEN

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Cohen


Popular Songs

ON COHEN

We cannot find any popular or well-known songs with the name of Cohen


Famous People

NAMED COHEN

We cannot find any celebrities or significantly famous people with the first name Cohen.

Children of Famous People

NAMED COHEN

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Cohen

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME COHEN

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Cohen