Kirsten
Girl name · #2831 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Kirsten? In official American birth records, Kirsten has been tracked continuously since 1937, giving it 88 years of documented American history.
Kirsten is currently the #2831 girl name in the United States — 60 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1711, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 30,000 girls born in 2025 was named Kirsten.
The 88-year story
Kirsten first appears in the Social Security records in 1937, when 10 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1991, when 1,931 girls were named Kirsten — good for #154 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 Kirsten per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kirsten against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kirsten in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kirsten is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Kirsten will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kirsten is most common
State-level data for Kirsten 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 Kirsten
Statistically, parents drawn to Kirsten tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kristen, Katheryn, Kiersten, Loren, and Karissa.
KristenKatherynKierstenLorenKarissaKaitlinJacklynKaylene
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kirsten | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 60 | #2822 |
| 2024 | 51 | #3119 |
| 2023 | 36 | #4047 |
| 2022 | 63 | #2720 |
| 2021 | 57 | #2929 |
| 2020 | 70 | #2468 |
| 2019 | 60 | #2784 |
| 2018 | 89 | #2130 |
| 2017 | 107 | #1889 |
| 2016 | 150 | #1512 |
| 2015 | 123 | #1711 |
| 2014 | 184 | #1291 |
| 2013 | 212 | #1135 |
| 2012 | 256 | #985 |
| 2011 | 309 | #852 |
| 2010 | 319 | #840 |
| 2009 | 454 | #652 |
| 2008 | 543 | #567 |
| 2007 | 726 | #444 |
| 2006 | 783 | #407 |
| 2005 | 1,003 | #321 |
| 2004 | 1,089 | #298 |
| 2003 | 1,116 | #280 |
| 2002 | 1,126 | #277 |
| 2001 | 1,224 | #260 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Kirsten?
In official American birth records, the name Kirsten first appeared in 1937 (over 88 years ago), when 10 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 88 years.
Is Kirsten a popular girl name?
Kirsten ranked #2831 among girls in 2025 with 60 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1711.
When was the name Kirsten most popular?
Kirsten peaked in 1991, when 1,931 American girls received the name (ranked #154 that year). Since 1991 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kirsten?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 30,000 newborn American girls was named Kirsten. 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.