Unisex name · since 1941
Carlen
Carlen has 466 recorded births since 1941 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1971 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #12,371 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 466
- born since 1941
- 1970s
- peak decade
Carlen sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 466 recorded since 1941.
Social Security Administration records show Carlen recorded 466 times among girls since 1941, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1970s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1941 to 2012.
- #12,371 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 466 born since 1941
- 1970s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Carlen ranks #12,371 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 466 born since 1941, peaking in the 1970s.
- #12,371 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 466
- born since 1941
- 1970s
- peak decade
Carlen's 466 recorded births place it above 82.88% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Carlen's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Carlen splits its recorded history at 1974: 48% of all births land in the more recent half, 52% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1953 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1971 peak of 18 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Carlen popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1941–2012
- Peak year (1971)
- 18
- Annual births at peak, across 72 years of records
Carlen popularity over time - boys
101 total births recorded since 1930 (Carlen as boys' name)
Carlen by decade
1970s is the heaviest window (106 births, 23% of the file).
1970s was Carlen's strongest decade.
106 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 23% of all-time use.
Carlen births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 35
1940s
35 births
- 1950s
1950s
93 births
- 1960s
1960s
56 births
- 1970s
1970s
106 births
- 1980s
1980s
67 births
- 1990s
1990s
71 births
- 2000s 32
2000s
32 births
- 2010s 6
2010s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 106 births (23% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Carlen's data
- Carlen's decade-level peak was the 1970s (106 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Carlen
Nearby Names Like Carlen
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Carlen
Compare Carlen side by side: Carlen vs Carol Carlen vs Carolyn Carlen vs Carrie
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Carlen: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1971)
Similar record span (~71 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1941–2012 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Carlen 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 August 2026.