Total births
193
Unisex name · since 1977
Chen
Since 1977, U.S. Social Security records show 193 babies named Chen, peaking in 1983. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #9229
- among boys today
- 193
- born since 1977
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 35%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Chen is the #9229 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 193 recorded since 1977.
Social Security Administration records show Chen recorded 193 times among boys since 1977, holding rank #9229 nationally today, ahead of 35% of boys, peaking in the 2010s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1977 to 2024.
- #9229 among boys today
- 193 born since 1977
- 2010s peak decade
- 35% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Chen is currently the #9229 unisex name in America, more common than 35% of boys - 193 born since 1977, peaking in the 2010s.
- #9229
- among boys today
- 193
- born since 1977
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 35%
- more common than other boys
Chen vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9229
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 35% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Chen was born in this single decade.
1983
Single peak year
9 babies were named Chen in 1983 - its busiest year on record.
How Chen compares
193 38th percentile among 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Chen's all-time total is 47% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Chen | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 193 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 9 | 23 | 22,252 |
Chen's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Chen's SSA record in two at 2005 and the more recent half accounts for 52% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 48%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1986, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1983 peak of 9, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Chen at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1983
Current rank
#9,229
Active since
1977
Chen popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1977–2024
- Peak year (1983)
- 9
- Annual births at peak, across 48 years of records
Chen popularity over time - girls
57 total births recorded since 1982 (Chen as girls' name)
Chen by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Chen's strongest decade.
55 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Chen births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 7
1970s
7 births
- 1980s 20
1980s
20 births
- 1990s
1990s
39 births
- 2000s
2000s
50 births
- 2010s
2010s
55 births
- 2020s
2020s
22 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 55 births (28% of all-time use).
Chen by state
Where Chen concentrates geographically, total births since 1977
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 5 | 2.6% |
New York share of Chen's total US births 2.6%
5 of 193 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Chen? ▼
Since 1977, Social Security records show 193 babies named Chen. Today it holds rank #9229 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1983, with 9 births.
When was Chen most popular? ▼
Chen was most popular in the 2010s decade with 55 total births. The single peak year was 1983.
Where is Chen most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Chen are New York (5 births).
Is Chen a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Chen is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 193 births, and as a girl's name it has 57 births.
How long has the name Chen been used? ▼
Records for Chen go back to 1977, giving 48 years of history through 2024.
What names are similar to Chen? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Chester, Chet, Chevy, Cheyenne, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Chen's data
- Chen's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (55 total births) through the 2020s (22) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Chens (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- 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 Chen
Nearby Names Like Chen
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Chen
Chester Boy
#1650 121,474 births
Chet Boy
#2104 6,180 births
Chevy Boy
#1647 3,794 births
Cheyenne Boy
#10049 2,696 births
Chesley Boy
2,294 births
Compare Chen side by side: Chen vs Chester Chen vs Chet Chen vs Chevy
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Chen
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1977–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Chen: #9229 Unisex Name - 193 Births, Peak 1983." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/chen. 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 Chen 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 July 2026.