Is Carlen a boy's or girl's name?

Carlen is primarily a girl's name. It is also used as a boy's name, with 101 recorded births.

When was Carlen most popular?

Carlen reached its peak popularity in 1971 with 18 births that year. It is not currently in the top rankings.

How popular is the name Carlen?

Carlen is not currently in the top rankings but has been given to 466 babies in the U.S. since 1941. Its peak was in 1971.

Carlen

An uncommon Swedish pick — distinctive and rare.

Girl's name| Also boysSwedishNot ranked recently

Rare name

Meaning & Origin

A surname.

Carlen is a boy's and girl's baby name of Swedish origin, a Scandinavian form of Carl (from the Germanic Karl meaning 'man, free man') with the -en suffix that is characteristic of Scandinavian and German diminutive or variant forms. In Swedish, Carlén is a surname that has sometimes been used as a given name.

Carlen has a gentle, two-syllable sound that gives Carl — a name with enormous historical weight (Charlemagne, Carl Jung, Carl Sagan) — a softer, more contemporary character. With 101 recorded births, it is genuinely uncommon, carrying Swedish heritage in a form that works naturally in English-speaking contexts.

Compare Carlen with another name

Popularity Over Time

Carlen has 55+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1941.

Popularity by Decade

Decade-by-decade popularity data for Carlen
Decade	Births	Avg Rank	Trend
2010s	6	#15340	▼
2000s	32	#11993	▼
1990s	71	#10261	▲
1980s	67	#7873	▼
1970s	106	#5941	▲
1960s	56	#5539	▼
1950s	93	#4137	▲
1940s	35	#4094	—

Year-by-Year Data

View complete yearly data(55 years, 1941–2012)

Year-by-year popularity data for the name Carlen
Year	Births	Rank	Change
2012	6	#15340	-2 (-25.0%)
2008	8	#12815	-2 (-20.0%)
2004	10	#10044	+4 (66.7%)
2002	6	#13912	-2 (-25.0%)
2001	8	#11200	0
1999	8	#10527	+3 (60.0%)
1998	5	#14522	-1 (-16.7%)
1996	6	#12093	-5 (-45.5%)
1995	11	#7599	+4 (57.1%)
1994	7	#10749	-3 (-30.0%)
1993	10	#8155	+3 (42.9%)
1992	7	#10652	-1 (-12.5%)
1991	8	#9463	-1 (-11.1%)
1990	9	#8590	+2 (28.6%)
1989	7	#9829	0
1988	7	#9401	-1 (-12.5%)
1986	8	#7856	+1 (14.3%)
1985	7	#8466	-6 (-46.2%)
1983	13	#5190	+5 (62.5%)
1982	8	#7569	-2 (-20.0%)

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.

Carlen as a Boy's Name

Though more common for girls, Carlen has a notable history as a boy's name too, with 101 births since 1930.

#8402

Current rank

101

Total births

2000

Peak year

Compare Carlen as girl vs boy

Frequently Asked

Can Carlen be used for both boys and girls?

Yes, Carlen is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name, it is not currently ranked. As a boy's name, it ranks #8402.

Last updated May 2026 · Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (1941–2012) · Methodology