Boy · #10,791 in 2026

Kelsen

Hans Kelsen was an Austrian and later American jurist, legal philosopher and political philosopher. He is known principally for his theory of law, which he named the "pure theory of law ", and for his writings on international law and theory of democracy.

Current Rank
#10,791
Peak Rank
#6,069 (2008)
Total Babies
119
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1997
First Year
2021
Last Year
2008
Peak Year
#6069
Peak Rank
119
Total Count
16
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Kelsen

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Hans Kelsen was an Austrian and later American jurist, legal philosopher and political philosopher. He is known principally for his theory of law, which he named the "pure theory of law ", and for his writings on international law and theory of democracy.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Kelsen

Kelsen first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1997, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2008, when 14 Kelsens were born — ranking #6,069 that year. As of 2026, Kelsen ranks #10,791 for baby boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 119 Kelsens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Kelsen

Phonetically similar names — useful when Kelsen 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 Kelsen

What does the name Kelsen mean?
Hans Kelsen was an Austrian and later American jurist, legal philosopher and political philosopher. He is known principally for his theory of law, which he named the "pure theory of law ", and for his writings on international law and theory of democracy.
How popular is Kelsen in 2026?
In 2026, Kelsen ranks #10,791 among boys' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Kelsen most popular?
Kelsen reached its peak popularity in 2008, ranking #6,069 that year with 14 babies given the name.
Is Kelsen a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Kelsen is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Kelsen?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Kelsen include Oliverio, Elieser, Randen. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Kelsen

Kelsen is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1997 and has accumulated 119 births in the dataset. Kelsen's peak popularity came in 2008 when it ranked #6,069. Use the chart and map above to compare Kelsen's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.