The first name Warren
A boy’s name meaning “river”, “water”, “rain”.
Pronounced /ˈwɔɹən/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Warren means “river”, “water”, “rain”.
From the Anglo-Norman surname (de) Warenne, a reference to a place called Varenne, a hamlet near Arques-la-Bataille, along the river Varenne in Normandy, from Medieval Latin Warinna, a hydronym of Celtic/Gaulish origin, from *var-, *ver- (“river, water”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wer- (“water, rain, flow”); see also the Latin river Avara. Phonetic Germanic influence is shown by the [v] > [w].
More names that mean river, water.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 26 boys were named Warren, making it the 1,124th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2008, with 240 births (#198).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Warren with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Warren at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,471 boys born in the United States were named Warren, the 240th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1921, when 7,798 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Warren
- Wazza
Famous people named Warren
117 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Warren BuffettAmerican investor, entrepreneur and businessman, born 1930
- Warren BeattyAmerican actor and filmmaker, born 1937
- Warren Zaïre-EmeryFrench footballer (born 2006)
- Warren OatesAmerican actor (1928–1982)
- Warren E. BurgerChief justice of the United States from 1969 to 1986 (1907–1995)
- Warren GAmerican rapper, record producer and disc jockey, born 1970
- Warren FarrellAuthor, spokesperson, expert witness, political candidate, born 1943
- Warren ZevonAmerican rock musician (1947–2003)
- Warren BarguilFrench cyclist, born 1991
- Warren WeaverAmerican mathematician (1894–1978)
- Warren De la RueBritish astronomer, chemist and photographer (1815–1889)
- Warren ClarkeEnglish actor (1947–2014)
Questions
- What does the name Warren mean?
- Warren means “river”, “water”, “rain”.
- How popular is the name Warren?
- In 2025, 26 boys born in England and Wales were named Warren, ranking 1,124th. Its peak was 2008, with 240 births.
- What are nicknames for Warren?
- Common nicknames for Warren include Wazza.
- Is Warren a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 185,502 US babies named Warren since 1880 were boys.
- When was Warren most popular?
- 1921 in the United States, when 7,798 babies were named Warren, its highest rank at 24th.
- How do you pronounce Warren?
- Warren is /ˈwɔɹən/, 2 syllables.
- Is Warren also a surname?
- Yes. Warren is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.