Karlen
Karlen or Karlén is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
Meaning & Origin of Karlen
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Karlen or Karlén is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Karlen
As a girl name
Karlen first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1940, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1992, when 10 Karlens were born — ranking #8,066 that year. As of 2026, Karlen ranks #16,416 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 147 Karlens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Karlen first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1991, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1991, when 6 Karlens were born — ranking #7,271 that year. As of 2026, Karlen ranks #12,135 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 16 Karlens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Karlen
Phonetically similar names — useful when Karlen is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Karlen
What does the name Karlen mean?
How popular is Karlen in 2026?
When was Karlen most popular?
Is Karlen a unisex name?
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About the name Karlen
Karlen is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1940 and has accumulated 147 births in the dataset. Karlen's peak popularity came in 1992 when it ranked #8,066. Use the chart and map above to compare Karlen's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1992 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.