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.
- #3,275 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 2,025
- born since 1915
- 1950s
- peak 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.
- #3,275 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 2,025 born since 1915
- 1950s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gaylen ranks #3,275 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 2,025 born since 1915, peaking in the 1950s.
- #3,275 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 2,025
- born since 1915
- 1950s
- peak decade
Gaylen's 2,025 recorded births place it above 92.79% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
11 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Iowa.
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 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
1950s is the heaviest window (568 births, 28% of the file).
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 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% |
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? ▼
Where does Gaylen sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Gaylen most popular? ▼
Where is Gaylen most popular? ▼
Is Gaylen a unisex name? ▼
How long has the name Gaylen been used? ▼
What names are similar to Gaylen? ▼
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
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
Compare Gaylen side by side: Gaylen vs Gaylord Gaylen vs Gayle Gaylen vs Gaylon
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Gaylen: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1949)
Similar record span (~90 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, 1915–2005 (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 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 August 2026.