Girls' name · since 1913
Karlene
Since 1913, U.S. Social Security records show 4,167 babies named Karlene, peaking in 1959. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2,905 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 4,167
- born since 1913
- 1950s
- peak decade
Karlene is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 4,167 have been recorded since 1913.
Social Security Administration records show Karlene recorded 4,167 times among girls since 1913, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls 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 1913 to 2024.
- #2,905 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 4,167 born since 1913
- 1950s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Karlene ranks #2,905 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 4,167 born since 1913, peaking in the 1950s.
- #2,905 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 4,167
- born since 1913
- 1950s
- peak decade
Karlene's 4,167 recorded births place it above 95.98% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
18 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
Karlene's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Karlene's full recorded timeline at 1970, 30% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 70% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1913, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1959 peak of 104 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Karlene popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1913–2024
- Peak year (1959)
- 104
- Annual births at peak, across 112 years of records
Karlene by decade
1950s is the heaviest window (853 births, 20% of the file).
1950s was Karlene's strongest decade.
853 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 20% of all-time use.
Karlene births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 24
1910s
24 births
- 1920s 87
1920s
87 births
- 1930s
1930s
408 births
- 1940s
1940s
741 births
- 1950s
1950s
853 births
- 1960s
1960s
798 births
- 1970s
1970s
372 births
- 1980s
1980s
344 births
- 1990s 255
1990s
255 births
- 2000s 176
2000s
176 births
- 2010s 71
2010s
71 births
- 2020s 38
2020s
38 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 853 births (20% of all-time use).
How Karlene compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Karlene's total volume
Karlene by state
Where Karlene concentrates geographically, total births since 1913
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 256 | 6.1% |
| #2 | New York | | 163 | 3.9% |
| #3 | Michigan | | 134 | 3.2% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 109 | 2.6% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 77 | 1.8% |
| #6 | Minnesota | | 72 | 1.7% |
| #7 | Iowa | | 64 | 1.5% |
| #8 | Wisconsin | | 59 | 1.4% |
256 of 4,167 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 18 reporting states.
Karlene appears in 18 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Karlene? ▼
Where does Karlene sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Karlene most popular? ▼
Where is Karlene most popular? ▼
How long has the name Karlene been used? ▼
What names are similar to Karlene? ▼
What to do with Karlene's data
- Karlene's decade-level peak was the 1950s (853 total births); usage has since declined to 38 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Karlenes (256 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Karlene
Nearby Names Like Karlene
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Karlene
Compare Karlene side by side: Karlene vs Karen Karlene vs Kara Karlene vs Karla
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Karlene: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1959)
Similar record span (~111 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, 1913–2024 (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 Karlene 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.