Total births
4,629
Unisex name · since 1959
Kalen
4,629 babies named Kalen in U.S. Social Security records since 1959, with the highest year being 1998. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #2050
- among boys today
- 4,629
- born since 1959
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 86%
- more common than other boys
Kalen currently ranks #2050 among unisex names in America, with 4,629 babies recorded since 1959.
Social Security Administration records show Kalen recorded 4,629 times among boys since 1959, holding rank #2050 nationally today, ahead of 86% of boys, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1959 to 2025.
- #2050 among boys today
- 4,629 born since 1959
- 2000s peak decade
- 86% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kalen is currently the #2050 unisex name in America, more common than 86% of boys - 4,629 born since 1959, peaking in the 2000s.
- #2050
- among boys today
- 4,629
- born since 1959
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 86%
- more common than other boys
Kalen vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2050
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 86% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Kalen was born in this single decade.
1998
Single peak year
169 babies were named Kalen in 1998 - its busiest year on record.
How Kalen compares
4,629 Top 13% higher than 87% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Kalen's all-time total is 13x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kalen | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,629 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 169 | 23 | 22,252 |
Kalen's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Kalen splits its recorded history at 1994: 72% of all births land in the more recent half, 28% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1962 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1998 peak of 169 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Kalen at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1998
Current rank
#2,050
Active since
1959
Kalen popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1959–2025
- Peak year (1998)
- 169
- Annual births at peak, across 67 years of records
Kalen popularity over time - girls
1,467 total births recorded since 1952 (Kalen as girls' name)
Kalen by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Kalen's strongest decade.
1,282 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Kalen births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 8
1950s
8 births
- 1960s 61
1960s
61 births
- 1970s 99
1970s
99 births
- 1980s
1980s
705 births
- 1990s
1990s
1,214 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,282 births
- 2010s
2010s
810 births
- 2020s 450
2020s
450 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 1,282 births (28% of all-time use).
How Kalen 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 Kalen's total volume
Kalen vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Kalen by state
Where Kalen concentrates geographically, total births since 1959
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 415 | 9.0% |
| #2 | Texas | | 333 | 7.2% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 143 | 3.1% |
| #4 | Georgia | | 140 | 3.0% |
| #5 | Florida | | 131 | 2.8% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 111 | 2.4% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 102 | 2.2% |
| #8 | Missouri | | 95 | 2.1% |
California share of Kalen's total US births 9.0%
Even split
415 of 4,629 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 30 reporting states.
Kalen appears in 30 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kalen? ▼
Since 1959, Social Security records show 4,629 babies named Kalen. Today it holds rank #2050 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1998, with 169 births.
When was Kalen most popular? ▼
Kalen was most popular in the 2000s decade with 1,282 total births. The single peak year was 1998.
Where is Kalen most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kalen are California (415 births), Texas (333 births), Illinois (143 births).
Is Kalen a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Kalen is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 4,629 births, and as a girl's name it has 1,467 births.
How long has the name Kalen been used? ▼
Records for Kalen go back to 1959, giving 67 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Kalen? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kaleb, Kale, Kalvin, Kalel, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Kalen's data
- Kalen's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (1,282 total births) through the 2020s (450) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Kalens (415 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Kalen
Nearby Names Like Kalen
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kalen
Kaleb Boy
#279 86,649 births
Kale Boy
#5270 7,379 births
Kalvin Boy
#1785 6,726 births
Kalel Boy
#1125 4,400 births
Kallen Boy
#1476 2,743 births
Compare Kalen side by side: Kalen vs Kaleb Kalen vs Kale Kalen vs Kalvin
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kalen
Simcha #2049
2,009 births · Peak 2025
Binyomin #2051
1,346 births · Peak 2024
Adriano #2048
2,545 births · Peak 2006
Kota #2052
1,047 births · Peak 2023
Rockwell #2047
1,801 births · Peak 2017
Fenix #2053
1,124 births · Peak 2022
Quinten #2046
8,098 births · Peak 2000
Eesa #2054
911 births · Peak 2025
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, 1959–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kalen: #2050 Unisex Name - 4,629 Births, Peak 1998." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kalen. 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 Kalen 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.