Baby Boy to Be Named Coen or Cohen

Updated on June 09, 2010
K.A. asks from Franklin, TN
24 answers

We've looked through all of the books and all of the names and decided on one for our first baby, a boy. We've decided on Coen Edward Andersen. Edward is the middle name of his father and both grandfathers, so that was a given. What are your thoughts on "Coen", I like the look of "Cohen" better, but it's common for people to emphasize "Co-Hen" when they first pronounce it. Spelling alternatives are Koen, Kohen, Cowen, Kowen, and Cohen. Although variations of this name are a common surname, i still don't know if its a good fit for our future son. Any thoughts? Our backups are lachlann, leighton, and leland. My husband likes lennox as well.

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So What Happened?

Thank you for all of the responses! We're more assured about picking the name Coen. We love the meaning (Experienced advisor) and origin (German). I'm still considering spelling it Cohen...but we've got a few more months to decide. I love Leland as well, and i think that it'll be our #1 backup or the name for a future brother. It was good to get feedback for my husband on Lennox...he just won't give the name up!

Featured Answers

J.G.

answers from San Antonio on

I like Coen the way you have it. Granted, Cowen is the way I'd probably spell it if I heard it. But the kids in school might call him "COW-en" and make jokes about mooing.

Leland is nice. I like Leighton too. My friend's baby is going to have a middle name of LATHAM which I like too.

1 mom found this helpful

L.G.

answers from Austin on

I like Coen and also Leland. For me personally I don't like Lennox-- reminds me of a watch or camera or something. (sorry) :)

1 mom found this helpful
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S.K.

answers from Denver on

I like the spelling Cohen best and I think that would be easier for everyone than Coen, actually. If you are considering some L names, another suggestion would be Levi.

1 mom found this helpful

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B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

I like Coen! It's a good name and will carry well in the event you are shouting it across a playground (and sooner or later you will be shouting it). The first middle and last also flows nicely for when he's in trouble and you have to call him out with his full name. "Coen Edward Anderson! Climb down out of that tree this minute!", etc. It'll look great on a diploma, too. We chose Evan Peter for our son.

3 moms found this helpful

P.W.

answers from Dallas on

I like Coen, as long as you are okay with any jokes about the Coen brothers.

2 moms found this helpful

A.C.

answers from Jacksonville on

I like Coen the best and I would stick with that spelling. You don't want your son to have to constantly be correcting the way people say his name. With Cohen he would get that alot. As for your backups: I like Leland, but Leighton seems feminine IMO. Congrats! :)

1 mom found this helpful
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N.I.

answers from Daytona Beach on

I actually like Coen, because it's unique, and makes it more special. I named my youngest Nikolas because it made it different from the spelling out there w/so many boys. Plus, as many moms have answer, it's your baby, and it's your choice. And don't worry about being make fun about the "co-hen"...really doesn't matter. Just close your eyes and think of the name, and when you have that beautiful baby in your arms, do practice the name w/him first and then sign the birth certificate and requests the SS cards...lol! really! good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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J.L.

answers from Cleveland on

Love the Name Coen!! This is your baby not ours Remember you are the one who gets to pick. When we named both our our girls Ella & Kara we had people who liked it and didn't. Don't have to please others just yourself!

1 mom found this helpful
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K.M.

answers from Kansas City on

LOVE Coen! And how cool to pay tribute to the grandfathers. Boy names are hard, aren't they?!

About the "L" names, I have to agree with the post about "Annie", and I have lennox china, so that is my association... but I love Leighton. So nice to see unique names!

Hope your pregnancy and delivery go well, congrats on your son!

1 mom found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

I love the name Coen and this spelling.. It reminds me of the Directors The Coen Brothers. Ethan and Joel. They are amazing..

Interesting we have a local jewelry store Koens Jewelers. But I think Coen will look better as a first name..

1 mom found this helpful
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K.E.

answers from Atlanta on

I haven't yet read the other answers, but here's my 2 cents.
I like Cohen 100% more than Coen...It would be so awkward for me to say Co-Hen that I wouldn't even think of it, I would just pronounce it Co-en naturally. Cowen would be my second choice...Coen just looks incomplete to me, like a letter is left out. I LOVE Leland! I like Lachlann, but would spell it Lochlan...I know a girl named Leighton, so to me it's feminine, but had I not known her I may like it for a boy...
Good luck :)

1 mom found this helpful
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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I really like Cohen, Coen (sp) not as much. Also LOVE Leland! Congrats on the new blue bundle!

1 mom found this helpful

A.B.

answers from Dallas on

I have always liked Kohen and thought if I ever have another boy, this would be a possibility. Then, I would have Kole and Kohen :) I think Lennox is way cool!! Good Luck!

Just my two cents, but I disagree with the "ann" ending being too feminine. My husband's middle name is Lynn, after his father, and we used this for our son, Kole Dillynn. Call us silly, but I really love it :)

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S.C.

answers from Chicago on

As other people said, most importantly you & your husband have to like the name you end up choosing. It's not really that important what the rest of the world thinks. That being said, I absolutely love the name Coen and the way it flows with his middle & last names. Coen was one of my top boys' names as well (we're having a girl), but the spelling I always pictured was Cohen. I guess when I read "Coen" I read it as either "Cohn" or "Cone," but that's just me. Either way, great name choice if that's what you end up going with. Good luck, naming is such a challenge! :)

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T.J.

answers from Seattle on

I like Coen better than Cohen! And Leland is my grandpas middle name, was one of our boy names too (we have two girls). Leighton meester is a popular actress and singer right now so I wouldn't use that name for a boy. And lochlann with two nn's makes it look more feminine, I like just lochlan. Coen and leland are my favorites! Lennox reminds me of the boxer.

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M.D.

answers from Atlanta on

Coen or Cowen might be a better choice to get the pronunciation you want. I agree with you that I think Cohen will be mispronounced by most as they empahsize the H. I tend to like the look of Cowen rather than Coen as long as people don't pronounce it "Cow-en". : ) I love the flow of the name Coen Edward Anderson....it's really a nice name.

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J.C.

answers from Columbus on

I would keep the H, just because grammatically it makes you pronounce both vowels. Without the H, some may be inclined to combine the two vowels making the "O" sound, Cone. It might be easier to explain that the H is silent.

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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

love leighton don't like coen at all. kids can be cruel and that nape has a lot of potential for misspellings on purpose and then your kid will go through life with the nickname cone

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A.A.

answers from Chicago on

Love the name Coen! Don't think the spelling matters too much--just stay away from Cowen or Kowen in my opinion---I just thought "Cow-en" when I read it =) I like Cohen or Coen, best of luck!

H.H.

answers from Killeen on

Coen Andersen is a great name.The 'L' names that you suggested are not as strong as Coen, if you are going for a strong name-But I agree that it looks like it is missing something, so "Cohen" does look better.
I would avoid a boy's name ending in "ann" as he gets older I can see boys calling him "annie".

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R.M.

answers from Topeka on

The typical way to spell it is Cohen I believe, and I had a friend who's last name was Coen so I say go with whichever way you prefer!! Names being mispronounced is SO common....and sometimes we pass that "blessing" along to our children!!! For instance, my maiden name was Dion ( prounounced like the Dionne Quintuplets) but it was forever being mispronounced, so what did we do? We named our youngest daughter Dionna...lolol
Do whatever you want..it IS your baby after all

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K.M.

answers from Chicago on

Sorry to say this but that name makes me think of cones. Then I start to think about the movie The Coneheads... just a though. Maybe Edward as a first name?

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W.T.

answers from San Diego on

My friend has a Koen..they are German. I like the name, but I think the spellind indicates a certain ethnicity, so I would choose the spelling that is most in line with what ethnicity you identify with.

I like your back ups, but think Lennox sounds a bit silly for a young man. Just my opinion since you asked.

Oh and I think with Coewen or Kowen you might get people pronouncing it to rhyme with "cow" not "coe". so that is something to think about too.

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J.C.

answers from Lake Charles on

I like Coen! And I like that spelling as well! If you go with another name, I really like Leighton Edward. We have a Leighton around here and tons of Coen's! SO those are very good names!

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