Girls' name · since 1936

Garlene

Since 1936, U.S. Social Security records show 71 babies named Garlene, peaking in 1940. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.

#30,940 of 72,339
all-time among girls
71
born since 1936
1940s
peak decade

Garlene sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 71 recorded since 1936.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Garlene has been recorded 71 times among girls since 1936, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1940s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1936 to 1961.

  • #30,940 of 72,339 all-time among girls
  • 71 born since 1936
  • 1940s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Garlene ranks #30,940 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 71 born since 1936, peaking in the 1940s.

#30,940 of 72,339
all-time among girls
71
born since 1936
1940s
peak decade
Below the archive median
All-time archive position

Garlene's 71 recorded births place it above 57.08% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.

National only
State-record footprint

No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.

Garlene's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Splitting Garlene's full recorded timeline at 1945, 44% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 56% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1936, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1940 peak of 8 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.

Garlene popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1936–1961

Last recorded 1961
Peak year (1940)
8
Annual births at peak, across 26 years of records
456789 193619371938194019431944194519491952195719591961 5

Garlene by decade

1940s is the heaviest window (32 births, 45% of the file).

1940s was Garlene's strongest decade.

32 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 45% of all-time use.

Garlene births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1940s at 32 births (45% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Garlene? ▼
Garlene has been given to 71 babies in the U.S. since 1936, according to SSA data. Its archive ordinal is #30,940 of 72,339 among girls' names (total births, highest first). Its last appearance in the data was 1961. 8 babies were born in 1940, its single highest year.
Where does Garlene sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Garlene ranks #30,940 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Garlene most popular? ▼
Garlene was most popular in the 1940s decade with 32 total births. The single peak year was 1940.
How long has the name Garlene been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Garlene since 1936 -- 26 years through the most recent 1961 data.
What names are similar to Garlene? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Garnet, Gary, Garnett, Gardenia, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.

What to do with Garlene's data

  • Garlene's decade-level peak was the 1940s (32 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1960s -- 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 Garlene

Nearby Names Like Garlene

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Garlene

Garnet Girl
#10943 6,913 births
Gary Girl
3,286 births
Garnett Girl
2,784 births
Gardenia Girl
#12033 1,354 births
Garnette Girl
945 births

Compare Garlene side by side: Garlene vs Garnet Garlene vs Gary Garlene vs Garnett

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Phoebie
71 births · Peak 1923
Nettye
71 births · Peak 1903
Thurza
71 births · Peak 1913
Annielee
71 births · Peak 1914
Consetta
71 births · Peak 1916
Cleatus
71 births · Peak 1920
Fusaye
71 births · Peak 1924
Vinette
71 births · Peak 1964

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Garlene: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

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, 1936–1961 (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 Garlene 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.