Whalen
Whalen is a surname. In Ireland, Whalen, Whelan, Phelan and O'Phelan, are anglicized variants of the same Gaelic surname, Faoláin, which itself is a variant of Ó Faoileáin and Ó Haoláin.
Meaning & Origin of Whalen
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Whalen is a surname. In Ireland, Whalen, Whelan, Phelan and O'Phelan, are anglicized variants of the same Gaelic surname, Faoláin, which itself is a variant of Ó Faoileáin and Ó Haoláin.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Whalen
Whalen first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1948, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 14 Whalens were born — ranking #6,024 that year. As of 2026, Whalen ranks #6,988 for baby boys with 11 births, holding steady (+4%). In total, more than 217 Whalens have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Whalen
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Bob Whalen , American college baseball coach
- Bruce Whalen , American politician
- Charles W. Whalen, Jr. , American politician
- Diana Whalen , Canadian politician
- Dianne Whalen , Canadian politician
- Douglas Whalen , American linguist
- Ed Whalen (broadcaster) , Canadian television personality
- Grover Whalen , American politician and businessman
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Whalen
Phonetically similar names — useful when Whalen 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 Whalen
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About the name Whalen
Whalen is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1948 and has accumulated 217 births in the dataset. Whalen's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #3,315. Use the chart and map above to compare Whalen's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2021 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "W" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.