Total births
251
Unisex name · since 1987
Cailen
Cailen has 251 recorded births since 1987 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2007 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 251
- total births
- 1987–2025
- years on record
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 39%
- born in that decade
Cailen sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 251 recorded since 1987.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Cailen has been recorded 251 times among boys since 1987, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1987 to 2025.
- 251 total births
- 1987–2025 years on record
- 2000s peak decade
- 39% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
251 boys have been named Cailen since 1987, peaking in the 2000s, last recorded in 2025.
- 251
- total births
- 1987–2025
- years on record
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 39%
- born in that decade
2000s
Peak decade
39% of everyone ever named Cailen was born in this single decade.
2007
Single peak year
17 babies were named Cailen in 2007 - its busiest year on record.
Cailen's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Cailen's SSA record in two at 2008 and the more recent half accounts for 55% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 45%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1987, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2007 peak of 17, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Cailen at a glance
Last recorded 2025Peak year
2007
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1987
Cailen popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1987–2025
- Peak year (2007)
- 17
- Annual births at peak, across 39 years of records
Cailen popularity over time - girls
197 total births recorded since 1982 (Cailen as girls' name)
Cailen by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Cailen's strongest decade.
98 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 39% of all-time use.
Cailen births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 5
1980s
5 births
- 1990s 35
1990s
35 births
- 2000s
2000s
98 births
- 2010s
2010s
91 births
- 2020s 22
2020s
22 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 98 births (39% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Cailen? ▼
Since 1987, Social Security records show 251 babies named Cailen. The most recent recorded year was 2025. Its busiest year on record was 2007, with 17 births.
When was Cailen most popular? ▼
Cailen was most popular in the 2000s decade with 98 total births. The single peak year was 2007.
Is Cailen a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Cailen is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 251 births, and as a girl's name it has 197 births.
How long has the name Cailen been used? ▼
Cailen has been recorded in Social Security data since 1987, spanning 39 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Cailen? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Caiden, Cairo, Cain, Caius, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Cailen's data
- Cailen's decade-level peak was the 2000s (98 total births); usage has since declined to 22 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Cailen
Nearby Names Like Cailen
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Cailen
Caiden Boy
#546 23,341 births
Cairo Boy
#355 9,415 births
Cain Boy
#981 7,628 births
Caius Boy
#1060 2,329 births
Caine Boy
#2272 2,104 births
Compare Cailen side by side: Cailen vs Caiden Cailen vs Cairo Cailen vs Cain
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1987–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Cailen: Baby Name Since 1987 - 251 Births, Peak 2007." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/cailen. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Cailen draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.