Ren

#29 in Hawaii

Meaning of Ren

Ren zips in like a pint-sized firework—one crisp syllable, a spritz of cool air—and yet it carries the layered backstory of a novel. In Japan it blooms from 蓮, the lotus that rises clean from muddy water, or 恋, the flutter of first love; in Chinese 仁 it hums with “benevolence,” while in English-speaking circles it’s the snappy nickname that can peel off longer coats like Lauren, Renee, or Warren. Pop culture keeps handing it fresh passports: Ren McCormack kicking up dust in Footloose, sharp-witted Ren Stevens balancing the chaos on Even Stevens, and yes, the galaxy-storming Kylo Ren (surname, but we’ll let him crash the party anyway). All that visibility has nudged Ren up the U.S. charts—think steady drumbeat rather than rocket launch—making it a quietly confident pick for parents who want a name that feels both ancient and touchscreen-ready. Short, sweet, and unisex, Ren is the verbal equivalent of a perfectly timed wink: brief, memorable, and impossible not to notice.

Pronunciation

Japanese

  • Pronunced as rehn (/reŋ/)

English

  • Pronunced as ren (/rɛn/)

U.S. Popularity Chart

States Popularity Chart

Notable People Named Ren

Ren Hang -
Ren -
Ren Sato -
Ren Jianxin -
Ren Yamamoto -
Mikayla Savoy
Curated byMikayla Savoy

Assistant Editor