Charlene
Girl name · #1942 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Charlene? In official American birth records, Charlene has been tracked continuously since 1888, giving it 137 years of documented American history.
Charlene is currently the #1942 girl name in the United States — 99 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1532, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 18,182 girls born in 2025 was named Charlene.
The 137-year story
Charlene first appears in the Social Security records in 1888, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1952, when 3,546 girls were named Charlene — good for #106 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Charlene per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Charlene against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Charlene in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Charlene is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Charlene will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Charlene is most common
State-level data for Charlene is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Charlene
Statistically, parents drawn to Charlene tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Darlene, Christine, Francine, Marianne, and Yvonne.
DarleneChristineFrancineMarianneYvonneCelestineConstanceArlene
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Charlene | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 99 | #1942 |
| 2024 | 115 | #1753 |
| 2023 | 102 | #1934 |
| 2022 | 111 | #1828 |
| 2021 | 114 | #1780 |
| 2020 | 119 | #1704 |
| 2019 | 111 | #1833 |
| 2018 | 112 | #1813 |
| 2017 | 153 | #1465 |
| 2016 | 147 | #1534 |
| 2015 | 146 | #1532 |
| 2014 | 159 | #1427 |
| 2013 | 116 | #1761 |
| 2012 | 134 | #1612 |
| 2011 | 134 | #1612 |
| 2010 | 136 | #1593 |
| 2009 | 142 | #1584 |
| 2008 | 153 | #1521 |
| 2007 | 182 | #1332 |
| 2006 | 190 | #1260 |
| 2005 | 178 | #1262 |
| 2004 | 202 | #1127 |
| 2003 | 165 | #1267 |
| 2002 | 170 | #1197 |
| 2001 | 168 | #1212 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Charlene?
In official American birth records, the name Charlene first appeared in 1888 (over 137 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Charlene a popular girl name?
Charlene ranked #1942 among girls in 2025 with 99 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1532.
When was the name Charlene most popular?
Charlene peaked in 1952, when 3,546 American girls received the name (ranked #106 that year). Since 1952 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Charlene?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 18,182 newborn American girls was named Charlene. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.