Total births
2,025
Unisex name · since 1915
Gaylen
Gaylen has 2,025 recorded births since 1915 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1949 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 2,025
- total births
- 1915–2005
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 28%
- born in that decade
2,025 boys have been named Gaylen since 1915, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Gaylen recorded 2,025 times among boys since 1915, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1950s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1915 to 2005.
- 2,025 total births
- 1915–2005 years on record
- 1950s peak decade
- 28% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
2,025 boys have been named Gaylen since 1915, peaking in the 1950s, last recorded in 2005.
- 2,025
- total births
- 1915–2005
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 28%
- born in that decade
1950s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Gaylen was born in this single decade.
1949
Single peak year
94 babies were named Gaylen in 1949 - its busiest year on record.
Gaylen's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Gaylen splits its recorded history at 1956: 36% of all births land in the more recent half, 64% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1981 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1949 peak of 94 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Gaylen at a glance
Last recorded 2005Peak year
1949
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1915
Gaylen popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–2005
- Peak year (1949)
- 94
- Annual births at peak, across 91 years of records
Gaylen popularity over time - girls
348 total births recorded since 1938 (Gaylen as girls' name)
Gaylen by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Gaylen's strongest decade.
568 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Gaylen births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 35
1910s
35 births
- 1920s 130
1920s
130 births
- 1930s
1930s
272 births
- 1940s
1940s
466 births
- 1950s
1950s
568 births
- 1960s
1960s
295 births
- 1970s 159
1970s
159 births
- 1980s 52
1980s
52 births
- 1990s 38
1990s
38 births
- 2000s 10
2000s
10 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 568 births (28% of all-time use).
How Gaylen compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Gaylen's total volume
Gaylen vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Gaylen by state
Where Gaylen concentrates geographically, total births since 1915
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Iowa | | 125 | 6.2% |
| #2 | Utah | | 73 | 3.6% |
| #3 | Minnesota | | 57 | 2.8% |
| #4 | Nebraska | | 38 | 1.9% |
| #5 | California | | 26 | 1.3% |
| #6 | Texas | | 16 | 0.8% |
| #7 | North Dakota | | 15 | 0.7% |
| #8 | Missouri | | 12 | 0.6% |
Iowa share of Gaylen's total US births 6.2%
Even split
125 of 2,025 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 11 reporting states.
Gaylen appears in 11 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Gaylen? ▼
Since 1915, Social Security records show 2,025 babies named Gaylen. The most recent recorded year was 2005. Its busiest year on record was 1949, with 94 births.
When was Gaylen most popular? ▼
Gaylen was most popular in the 1950s decade with 568 total births. The single peak year was 1949.
Where is Gaylen most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Gaylen are Iowa (125 births), Utah (73 births), Minnesota (57 births).
Is Gaylen a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Gaylen is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 2,025 births, and as a girl's name it has 348 births.
How long has the name Gaylen been used? ▼
Records for Gaylen go back to 1915, giving 91 years of history through 2005.
What names are similar to Gaylen? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Gaylord, Gayle, Gaylon, Gay, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Gaylen's data
- Gaylen's decade-level peak was the 1950s (568 total births); usage has since declined to 10 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Iowa records the most Gaylens (125 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Iowa 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 Gaylen
Nearby Names Like Gaylen
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gaylen
Gaylord Boy
6,086 births
Gayle Boy
4,951 births
Gaylon Boy
3,478 births
Gay Boy
1,382 births
Gayland Boy
1,025 births
Compare Gaylen side by side: Gaylen vs Gaylord Gaylen vs Gayle Gaylen vs Gaylon
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1915–2005 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Gaylen: Baby Name Since 1915 - 2,025 Births, Peak 1949." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/gaylen. 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 Gaylen 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 June 2026.