Galen
Galen was the 4442nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 23 babies. Its best year was 1949, when it ranked 329th with 433 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 1,823 places. More babies were named Galen in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Meaning Not yet researched how we research meanings
- Rank in 2025
- #4,442 boys, down 1,704 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 23boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1949433 babies
- Total since 1880
- 17,060babies recorded
Galen popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 560 since 1938.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,442 | 23 |
| 2020 | #2,738 | 45 |
| 2010 | #2,218 | 59 |
| 2000 | #1,179 | 116 |
| 1990 | #766 | 176 |
| 1980 | #694 | 157 |
| 1970 | #557 | 212 |
| 1960 | #533 | 220 |
| 1950 | #374 | 326 |
| 1940 | #444 | 170 |
| 1930 | #595 | 104 |
| 1920 | #723 | 81 |
| 1910 | #949 | 12 |
| 1900 | #1,089 | 7 |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Galen, counting every spelling?
Galen has no other common spelling that sounds the same.
How many kids will share the name Galen?
23 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Galen (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Galen 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 363 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Galen.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Galen?
About 10,600 people born in the US named Galen are alive today, with a median age of 53; half are between 35 and 70. That makes Galen mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
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.
Galen by state
How common Galen was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. In 49 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Galen: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Galen, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Galen
How popular is the name Galen?
Galen was the 4442nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 23 babies. Its best year was 1949, when it ranked 329th with 433 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved down 1,823 places. More babies were named Galen in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Is Galen a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Galen in the US.
Where is Galen most popular?
In 2021–2025, Galen was most common in California (0.01 per 1,000 boys), followed by Texas and Texas.