# Degen

> English word · Proper noun · frequency rank #90,344

## Definitions
1. A surname from German.

## Etymology
* As a German and Alemannic German surname, from the noun Degen (“boy warrior, hero”).
* As a German and Dutch surname, shortened from names like Degenhard, Degenhold, etc., with the same meaning as the above.
In isolated cases it can also be from Degen (“rapier”), for someone who made or wore such weapons, and from Middle High German dechen (“dean”, modern German Dechant).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/degen