Kalen
Boy name · #2084 in 2025 · Uniqueness 69/100
Kalen is currently the #2084 boy name in the United States — 71 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2112, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 25,352 boys born in 2025 was named Kalen.
The 66-year story
Kalen first appears in the Social Security records in 1959, when 8 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1998, when 169 boys were named Kalen — good for #858 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Kalen per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kalen against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kalen in class?
Kalen scores 69 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Kalen will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kalen is most common
State-level data for Kalen is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Kalen
Statistically, parents drawn to Kalen tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Alen, Calen, Kaylen, Keyon, and Quinten.
AlenCalenKaylenKeyonQuintenNolenEfrenDeven
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kalen | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 71 | #2077 |
| 2024 | 74 | #2042 |
| 2023 | 56 | #2416 |
| 2022 | 83 | #1892 |
| 2021 | 101 | #1645 |
| 2020 | 65 | #2139 |
| 2019 | 80 | #1868 |
| 2018 | 67 | #2101 |
| 2017 | 52 | #2450 |
| 2016 | 66 | #2110 |
| 2015 | 66 | #2112 |
| 2014 | 78 | #1873 |
| 2013 | 84 | #1733 |
| 2012 | 86 | #1742 |
| 2011 | 106 | #1510 |
| 2010 | 125 | #1358 |
| 2009 | 140 | #1257 |
| 2008 | 123 | #1380 |
| 2007 | 147 | #1197 |
| 2006 | 118 | #1367 |
| 2005 | 120 | #1282 |
| 2004 | 122 | #1235 |
| 2003 | 144 | #1076 |
| 2002 | 115 | #1204 |
| 2001 | 133 | #1080 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kalen a popular boy name?
Kalen ranked #2084 among boys in 2025 with 71 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2112.
When was the name Kalen most popular?
Kalen peaked in 1998, when 169 American boys received the name (ranked #858 that year). Since 1998 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kalen?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 25,352 newborn American boys was named Kalen. It scores 69/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.