Unisex name · since 1982
Gaelen
Gaelen has 156 recorded births since 1982 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1996 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #14,484 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 156
- born since 1982
- 1990s
- peak decade
Gaelen sits outside today's top ranks for boys, with 156 recorded since 1982.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gaelen has been recorded 156 times among boys since 1982, 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 1982 to 2008.
- #14,484 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 156 born since 1982
- 1990s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gaelen ranks #14,484 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 156 born since 1982, peaking in the 1990s.
- #14,484 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 156
- born since 1982
- 1990s
- peak decade
Gaelen's 156 recorded births place it above 68.1% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Gaelen's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Gaelen's SSA record in two at 1996 and the more recent half accounts for 49% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 51%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1982, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1996 peak of 14, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Gaelen popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1982–2008
- Peak year (1996)
- 14
- Annual births at peak, across 27 years of records
Gaelen popularity over time - girls
18 total births recorded since 1967 (Gaelen as girls' name)
Gaelen by decade
1990s is the heaviest window (77 births, 49% of the file).
1990s was Gaelen's strongest decade.
77 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 49% of all-time use.
Gaelen births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s
1980s
40 births
- 1990s
1990s
77 births
- 2000s
2000s
39 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 77 births (49% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Gaelen's data
- Gaelen's usage has stayed within range of its 1990s decade-level peak (77 total births) through the 2000s (39) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Gaelen
Nearby Names Like Gaelen
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gaelen
Compare Gaelen side by side: Gaelen vs Gael Gaelen vs Gaetano Gaelen vs Gaelan
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Gaelen: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1996)
Similar record span (~26 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, 1982–2008 (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 Gaelen 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.