The baby name Chosen combines a current sound with a rich meaning.
Thanks to Josie for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
CHOOSE
Before we get to the baby name Chosen, let’s start with the verb.
Choose comes from an Old English word, ultimately with Germanic roots.
Chosen is the irregular past participle, and it became the preferred spelling and form of the word by the thirteenth century.
We all understand that to choose is to select, and to be chosen is to be picked from a group of two or more.
But in order to understand how Chosen works as a baby boy name, we have to ask: who, precisely, is doing the choosing?
CHOSEN BY …
If you’re among “the chosen,” you’re one of an elite group.
And, in Christianity, that often means that you’ve been chosen by God.
Members of the Jewish faith, too, are called “the chosen people,” specifically selected to enter into a covenant with God.
It’s not a mark of superiority. Instead, to be chosen is to be honor-bound to live out their values and fulfill the tenets of their faith.
It’s often applied to other religious traditions, too.
Sometimes a hero – often fictional, but occasionally in sports – is called “the chosen one.” That’s a little different, as it implies gifts and abilities not shared by ordinary men. But again, those gifts are meant to be used for the betterment of the wider world.
TRADITIONAL NAMES and VIRTUE NAMES
Popular boy names range from current favorites like Noah and Liam to evergreen traditionals. Think Charles and James and Theodore, David and William and John.
But increasingly, baby boy names are creative and meaningful, too – just like baby girl names have been for ages.
With possibilities like Maverick and River edging into the top baby names lists, it feels like there’s more space than ever for baby boys with bold names.
Vintage virtue names like Clement and Ernest have their place. Unisex options like Honor feel fresh and interesting.
But it’s the new, modern ones, like Creed, that are among the most intriguing. Newcomers, like Saint and Reign, are also trending, names that suggest a mix of personal excellence or a faith-filled perspective.
Chosen fits into those bold word names; in fact, it’s part of an entirely new category.
PURPOSE NAMES
Purpose Names evoke a Christian spirit, but in a more assertive, even grand, fashion.
They’re not immediately religious names. Some possibilities like Shepherd and Fisher connect to Christian imagery, but seem gentler.
Others, like Rocket, do suggest achievement – but less so faith.
In generations past, parents focused on spiritual significance might’ve opted for a Biblical name. Or possibly the name of a current religious figure they admired, like a pastor.
But this is an age of broadly spiritual names. Parents love Bodhi and Zen, even though they’re not practicing Buddhists.
Purpose Names simply imply that your child has a reason for being that’s greater than himself.
BY the NUMBERS
The baby name Chosen debuted in the US Social Security Administration data in the year 2003. (The SSA reports on any name given to five or more boys or girls in a given year.) Six boys were named Chosen.
Name popularity increased slowly, until 2016.
That year, 31 boys and 6 girls received the name.
And the next year? Chosen was on its way to its current status as a popular baby boy’s name.
CAM NEWTON
Credit almost certainly goes to NFL quarterback Cam Newton. He welcomed his first child with Kia Proctor late in 2016. They named their son Chosen Sebastian.
More children followed. Cam and Kia are now parents to daughter Sovereign Dior-Cambella, and sons Camidas Swain and Cashmere Saint. Kia is also mom to older daughter Shakira from a previous relationship.
Newton wasn’t just any football player, and this wasn’t just any moment in his career.
Drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2011, Newton led his team to three division titles and a trip to Super Bowl 50 for the 2015 season. He won the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award, too.
So when Cam and Kia chose Chosen for their son? Other parents noticed.
CHOSEN JACOBS
One other place parents discovered the name?
Movie credits.
Young actor Chosen Jacobs is known for his role as Mike Hanlon in 2017’s It, as well as the sequel. From 2016 to 2018, he had a recurring role on Hawaii Five-0, which matches up closely with the name’s early gains in popularity.
TOP 1000
In 2022, the baby name Chosen entered the US Top 1000 for the first time ever, with a rank of #898.
That’s still relatively uncommon. But make no mistake – names that rank in the US Top 1000 most popular names attract more attention and feel more like possibilities for parents.
It wouldn’t be surprising to hear more children with Chosen as a given name.
Not only did 2022 mark a new high of births for boys, with 257 newborn boy Chosens, it also marked a new high as a baby girl name. 74 girls were named Chosen, too. That’s not exactly Sophia or Ava, but it’s a new high nonetheless.
MEANING-RICH and MODERN
The baby name Chosen sounds like so many familiar favorites for our sons: Owen and Rowan and Charlie and Chase. It sounds like a popular baby boy’s name.
Like many of those picks, it’s nickname-proof and easy to spell and pronounce. And yes, celebrities helped put in on parents’ radar.
But Chosen really succeeds for that mix of rich meaning and modern sensibility. As we continue to welcome new babies with bold word names that suggest spiritual roots and personal achievement, Chosen is the kind of choice that fits right in.
What do you think of the baby name Chosen?
I’d rather use a name that has “chosen” in its meaning. Behindthename lists it as one of Hera’s meanings. it is a lovely idea!
I think that celebrities using the name certainly contributed to its increase in popularity as a name, but I’m wondering if the streaming sensation The Chosen has also inspired many parents (particularly Christian parents who are fans of the show) to use the name. It might have been just the boost this name needed to make it into the Top 1000!