Girls' name · since 1936
Charlen
Since 1936, U.S. Social Security records show 80 babies named Charlen, peaking in 1966. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #29,577 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 80
- born since 1936
- 1960s
- peak decade
80 girls have been named Charlen since 1936, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Charlen has 80 recorded births among girls since 1936, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1960s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1936 to 1987.
- #29,577 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 80 born since 1936
- 1960s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Charlen ranks #29,577 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 80 born since 1936, peaking in the 1960s.
- #29,577 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 80
- born since 1936
- 1960s
- peak decade
Charlen's 80 recorded births place it above 58.94% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by Mississippi.
Charlen's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Charlen's SSA record in two at 1962 and the more recent half accounts for 59% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 41%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1937, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1966 peak of 11, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Charlen popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1936–1987
- Peak year (1966)
- 11
- Annual births at peak, across 52 years of records
Charlen by decade
1960s is the heaviest window (28 births, 35% of the file).
1960s was Charlen's strongest decade.
28 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 35% of all-time use.
Charlen births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s 11
1930s
11 births
- 1940s
1940s
17 births
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 1960s
1960s
28 births
- 1970s
1970s
13 births
- 1980s 6
1980s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 28 births (35% of all-time use).
Charlen by state
Where Charlen concentrates geographically, total births since 1936
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Mississippi | | 5 | 6.3% |
5 of 80 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Charlen? ▼
Where does Charlen sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Charlen most popular? ▼
Where is Charlen most popular? ▼
How long has the name Charlen been used? ▼
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What to do with Charlen's data
- Charlen's decade-level peak was the 1960s (28 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Mississippi records the most Charlens (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Mississippi names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Charlen
Nearby Names Like Charlen
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Charlen
Compare Charlen side by side: Charlen vs Charlotte Charlen vs Charlene Charlen 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 Charlen: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1966)
Similar record span (~51 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, 1936–1987 (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 Charlen 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.