Unisex name · since 1990
Challen
Since 1990, U.S. Social Security records show 71 babies named Challen, peaking in 1992. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #19,698 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 71
- born since 1990
- 1990s
- peak decade
71 boys have been named Challen since 1990, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Challen has been recorded 71 times among boys since 1990, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1990 to 2009.
- #19,698 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 71 born since 1990
- 1990s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Challen ranks #19,698 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 71 born since 1990, peaking in the 1990s.
- #19,698 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 71
- born since 1990
- 1990s
- peak decade
Challen's 71 recorded births place it above 56.51% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Challen's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Challen's SSA record in two at 1998 and the more recent half accounts for 41% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 59%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1998, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1992 peak of 11, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Challen popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1990–2009
- Peak year (1992)
- 11
- Annual births at peak, across 20 years of records
Challen popularity over time - girls
5 total births recorded since 1994 (Challen as girls' name)
Challen by decade
1990s is the heaviest window (54 births, 76% of the file).
1990s was Challen's strongest decade.
54 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 76% of all-time use.
Challen births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1990s
1990s
54 births
- 2000s 17
2000s
17 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 54 births (76% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Challen? ▼
Where does Challen sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Challen most popular? ▼
Is Challen a unisex name? ▼
How long has the name Challen been used? ▼
What names are similar to Challen? ▼
What to do with Challen's data
- Challen's decade-level peak was the 1990s (54 total births); usage has since declined to 17 in the 2000s -- 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 Challen
Nearby Names Like Challen
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Challen
Compare Challen side by side: Challen vs Charles Challen vs Chad Challen vs Charlie
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Challen: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1992)
Similar record span (~19 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, 1990–2009 (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 Challen 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.