Callen
Callen was the 516th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 579 babies. Its best year was 2023, when it ranked 450th with 687 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 4 places. More babies were named Callen in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Callan) Origin uncertain · Irish, Scottish Gaelic
- Rank in 2025
- #516 boys, up 18 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 579boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2023687 babies
- Total since 1880
- 10,105babies recorded
What does the name Callen mean?
Callen is a spelling of Callan, pronounced the same way, so it shares Callan's meaning and origin.
Callan is an Irish and Scottish surname. Wiktionary and Wikipedia derive it from Ó Cathaláin, 'descendant of Cathalán', a pet form of the Irish name Cathal; Wikipedia adds that it can also come from the Gaelic Mac Allin or Mac Callin. Cathal is usually explained as 'strong in battle', but our sources do not give that gloss. As a first name it is a recent transfer from the surname.
Ó Cathaláin (Irish, “descendant of Cathalán”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. Several Gaelic surname sources; no gloss for Cathalán in our sources.
Related names: Callen, Callum, Cathal.
See also: Irish names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Callan', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Callan', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Callen popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 604 since 1983, 19 in 2025.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #516 | 579 |
| 2020 | #534 | 527 |
| 2010 | #698 | 334 |
| 2000 | #3,161 | 27 |
| 1990 | #3,328 | 18 |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1960 | #2,702 | 10 |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Callen, counting every spelling?
Callen is a spelling of Callan, a name family that ranked #144 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #516 for Callen on its own. Together these spellings went to 2,653 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callan | 1,917 | #190 | 6,153 |
| Callen | 579 | #516 | 3,235 |
| Kallan | 82 | #1,912 | 313 |
| Calen | 35 | #3,323 | 228 |
| Calin | 14 | #6,190 | 110 |
| Kalin | 14 | #6,274 | 79 |
| Kallin | 7 | #10,185 | 30 |
| Callon | 5 | #12,352 | 28 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Callen?
579 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Callen (0.16 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Callen born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 14 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Callen.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Callen?
About 9,400 people born in the US named Callen are alive today, with a median age of 8; half are between 4 and 13. That makes Callen a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Callen by state
How common Callen was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in South Dakota (3.7×), New Hampshire (3.5×), Iowa (3.3×), Nebraska (3.1×), Wisconsin (2.8×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Nevada, Mississippi, California.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Callen: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Callen, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Callen
What does Callen mean?
The origin of Callan is uncertain: several Gaelic surname sources; no gloss for Cathalán in our sources.
How popular is the name Callen?
Callen was the 516th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 579 babies. Its best year was 2023, when it ranked 450th with 687 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 4 places. More babies were named Callen in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Callen a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Callen in the US.
Where is Callen most popular?
In 2021–2025, Callen was most common in South Dakota (1.40 per 1,000 boys), followed by New Hampshire and Iowa.