{{wiktionary|Preben}} '''Preben''' is a given name of Slavic origin most common in Denmark where it arrived around 1350 from the neighbouring Germany.{{cn|date=August 2025}} The name was Pridbjørn in medieval Danish, derived from the Slavic name Pritbor.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hanks |first1=Patrick |last2=Hardcastle |first2=Kate |last3=Hodges |first3=Flavia |title=A Dictionary of First Names |date=1 January 2006 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-861060-1 |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780198610601.001.0001/acref-9780198610601-e-6727 |access-date=11 August 2025 |language=en |chapter=Preben |quote=Danish: from medieval Danish Pridbjørn, a reworking (influenced by Bjørn ‘bear’) of Slavic Pritbor (from prid ‘foremost’ + bor ‘battle’)}}</ref>
Notable people with the name include:
*Preben von Ahnen (1606–1675), German-born civil servant and landowner in Norway *Preben Arentoft (born 1942), Danish former football player *Preben Fjære Brynemo (born 1977), Norwegian Nordic combined skier *Preben Christiansen (1913–1979), Danish fencer *Preben Eriksen (born 1958), former speedway rider *Preben Fabricius (1931–1984), Danish furniture designer, worked with Jørgen Kastholm *Preben Møller Hansen (1929–2008), Danish writer, cook, politician, and trade unionist *Preben Harris (born 1935), Danish film and stage actor *Preben Van Hecke (born 1982), Belgian professional road bicycle racer *Preben Hertoft (1928–2017), Danish psychiatrist, professor in medical sexology, senior doctorate in medicine *Preben Isaksson (1943–2008), Danish cyclist *Preben Jensen (born 1944), Danish sprint canoeist *Preben Kaas (1930–1981), Danish comedian, actor, script writer and film director *Preben Krab (born 1952), Danish rower who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics *Preben Kristensen (born 1953), Danish actor *Preben Lundgren Kristensen (1923–1986), Danish cyclist *Preben Elkjær (born 1957), retired Danish professional footballer *Preben Lundbye (born 1950), Danish football coach *Preben Maegaard (1935–2021), Danish renewable energy pioneer, author and expert *Preben Mahrt (1920–1989), Danish film actor *Preben De Man (born 1996), Belgian professional footballer *Preben Munthe (1922–2013), Norwegian economist *Preben Neergaard (1920–1990), Danish stage and film actor *Preben Philipsen (1910–2005), Danish film producer *Eilert Waldemar Preben Ramm (1769–1837), Norwegian military officer and politician *Preben Lerdorff Rye (1917–1995), Danish film actor *Axel Schmidt-Preben (1939–2018), Brazilian sailor *Erik Schmidt-Preben (born 1939), Brazilian sailor *Preben Uglebjerg (1931–1968), Danish film actor *Preben Vildalen (born 1972), Norwegian handball player
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{given name}}
Category:Danish masculine given names Category:Masculine given names