Total births
3,448
Boys' name · since 1892
Nolen
3,448 babies named Nolen in U.S. Social Security records since 1892, with the highest year being 2009. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #2316
- among boys today
- 3,448
- born since 1892
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 84%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Nolen is the #2316 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 3,448 recorded since 1892.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Nolen has been recorded 3,448 times among boys since 1892, currently ranked #2316 nationally and more common than 84% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1892 to 2025.
- #2316 among boys today
- 3,448 born since 1892
- 2010s peak decade
- 84% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Nolen is currently the #2316 boys' name in America, more common than 84% of boys - 3,448 born since 1892, peaking in the 2010s.
- #2316
- among boys today
- 3,448
- born since 1892
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 84%
- more common than other boys
Nolen vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2316
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 84% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
24% of everyone ever named Nolen was born in this single decade.
2009
Single peak year
110 babies were named Nolen in 2009 - its busiest year on record.
How Nolen compares
3,448 Top 15% higher than 85% 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
Nolen's all-time total is 9x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Nolen | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,448 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 110 | 23 | 22,252 |
Nolen's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Nolen splits its recorded history at 1966: 68% of all births land in the more recent half, 32% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1900 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2009 peak of 110 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Nolen at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2009
Current rank
#2,316
Active since
1892
Nolen popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1892–2025
- Peak year (2009)
- 110
- Annual births at peak, across 134 years of records
Nolen popularity over time - girls
10 total births recorded since 2014 (Nolen as girls' name)
Nolen by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Nolen's strongest decade.
841 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 24% of all-time use.
Nolen births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 7
1890s
7 births
- 1900s 16
1900s
16 births
- 1910s 183
1910s
183 births
- 1920s 287
1920s
287 births
- 1930s 221
1930s
221 births
- 1940s 190
1940s
190 births
- 1950s 160
1950s
160 births
- 1960s 95
1960s
95 births
- 1970s 75
1970s
75 births
- 1980s 131
1980s
131 births
- 1990s 213
1990s
213 births
- 2000s
2000s
648 births
- 2010s
2010s
841 births
- 2020s
2020s
381 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 841 births (24% of all-time use).
How Nolen 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 Nolen's total volume
Nolen vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Nolen by state
Where Nolen concentrates geographically, total births since 1892
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 154 | 4.5% |
| #2 | California | | 120 | 3.5% |
| #3 | Alabama | | 102 | 3.0% |
| #4 | Tennessee | | 82 | 2.4% |
| #5 | Florida | | 63 | 1.8% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 52 | 1.5% |
| #7 | Michigan | | 51 | 1.5% |
| #8 | North Carolina | | 46 | 1.3% |
Texas share of Nolen's total US births 4.5%
Even split
154 of 3,448 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 21 reporting states.
Nolen appears in 21 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Nolen? ▼
3,448 babies have been named Nolen since 1892. It currently ranks #2316 among boys. The peak year was 2009 with 110 births.
When was Nolen most popular? ▼
Nolen was most popular in the 2010s decade with 841 total births. The single peak year was 2009.
Where is Nolen most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Nolen are Texas (154 births), California (120 births), Alabama (102 births).
How long has the name Nolen been used? ▼
Records for Nolen go back to 1892, giving 134 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Nolen? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Nolan, Noland, Nolyn, Nolberto, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Nolen's data
- Nolen's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (841 total births) through the 2020s (381) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Texas records the most Nolens (154 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Nolen
Nearby Names Like Nolen
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Nolen
Nolan Boy
#64 135,505 births
Noland Boy
#5927 1,778 births
Nolyn Boy
#3666 802 births
Nolberto Boy
#9110 615 births
Nolin Boy
#5939 507 births
Compare Nolen side by side: Nolen vs Nolan Nolen vs Noland Nolen vs Nolyn
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Nolen
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, 1892–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Nolen: #2316 Boys' Name - 3,448 Births, Peak 2009." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/nolen. 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 Nolen 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.