Boys' name · since 1982
Gaelan
Gaelan has 131 recorded births since 1982 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1988 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #15,641 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 131
- born since 1982
- 1990s
- peak decade
131 boys have been named Gaelan since 1982, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Gaelan recorded 131 times among boys since 1982, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1990s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1982 to 2014.
- #15,641 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 131 born since 1982
- 1990s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gaelan ranks #15,641 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 131 born since 1982, peaking in the 1990s.
- #15,641 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 131
- born since 1982
- 1990s
- peak decade
Gaelan's 131 recorded births place it above 65.53% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by California.
Gaelan's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Gaelan's SSA record in two at 1992 and the more recent half accounts for 45% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 55%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1983, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1988 peak of 13, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Gaelan popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1982–2014
- Peak year (1988)
- 13
- Annual births at peak, across 33 years of records
Gaelan by decade
1990s is the heaviest window (58 births, 44% of the file).
1990s was Gaelan's strongest decade.
58 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 44% of all-time use.
Gaelan births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s
1980s
56 births
- 1990s
1990s
58 births
- 2000s 12
2000s
12 births
- 2010s 5
2010s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 58 births (44% of all-time use).
Gaelan by state
Where Gaelan concentrates geographically, total births since 1982
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 5 | 3.8% |
5 of 131 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Where does Gaelan sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Gaelan most popular? ▼
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What to do with Gaelan's data
- Gaelan's decade-level peak was the 1990s (58 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Gaelans (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Gaelan
Nearby Names Like Gaelan
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gaelan
Compare Gaelan side by side: Gaelan vs Gael Gaelan vs Gaetano Gaelan vs Gaelen
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Gaelan: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1988)
Similar record span (~32 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, 1982–2014 (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 Gaelan 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.