Efren is the Spanish form of Ephraim, the Hebrew name of Joseph's younger son in the Book of Genesis, and means "fruitful" or "doubly fruitful". It has been a steady choice among Mexican American families for generations. In the United States Efren was a top 1000 name from 2000, peaking at number 840 in 2001, but has slowly declined to number 2190 in 2025 with 65 births.