Allen
Boy name · #578 in 2025 · Rare
Allen ranks #578 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 507 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #349, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,550 boys born in 2025 was named Allen.
Babies named Allen per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Allen first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 184 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1951, when 5,179 boys were named Allen — good for #72 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Allen against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Allen in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Allen is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Allen will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Allen is most common
Geography matters for names, and Allen is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Allen is most common in LA (0.9 per 1,000), PA (0.6 per 1,000), WA (0.5 per 1,000), TN (0.4 per 1,000), WI (0.4 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.3 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Allen is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Allen
Statistically, parents drawn to Allen tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Allan, Stephen, Robin, Steven, and Glen.
AllanStephenRobinStevenGlenDannyGordonTommy
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Allen | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 507 | #578 |
| 2024 | 502 | #572 |
| 2023 | 573 | #517 |
| 2022 | 529 | #561 |
| 2021 | 559 | #524 |
| 2020 | 638 | #463 |
| 2019 | 702 | #436 |
| 2018 | 741 | #421 |
| 2017 | 791 | #403 |
| 2016 | 895 | #370 |
| 2015 | 976 | #349 |
| 2014 | 860 | #367 |
| 2013 | 917 | #348 |
| 2012 | 959 | #329 |
| 2011 | 1,005 | #317 |
| 2010 | 975 | #322 |
| 2009 | 1,039 | #310 |
| 2008 | 1,139 | #293 |
| 2007 | 1,198 | #287 |
| 2006 | 1,229 | #283 |
| 2005 | 1,231 | #271 |
| 2004 | 1,303 | #255 |
| 2003 | 1,318 | #250 |
| 2002 | 1,384 | #246 |
| 2001 | 1,389 | #243 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Allen a popular boy name?
Allen ranked #578 among boys in 2025 with 507 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #349.
When was the name Allen most popular?
Allen peaked in 1951, when 5,179 American boys received the name (ranked #72 that year). Since 1951 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Allen?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,550 newborn American boys was named Allen. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.