Cullen
Boy name · #1108 in 2025 · Uniqueness 78/100
Cullen ranks #1108 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 194 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #570, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 9,278 boys born in 2025 was named Cullen.
The 145-year story
Cullen first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 9 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2010, when 679 boys were named Cullen — good for #413 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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.
Babies named Cullen per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Cullen against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Cullen in class?
Cullen scores 78 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Cullen will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Cullen is most common
Geography matters for names, and Cullen is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Cullens were NC (17), TX (17), LA (10), MN (10), OH (9). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Cullen
Statistically, parents drawn to Cullen tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kellen, Colten, Daylen, Calen, and Adrien.
KellenColtenDaylenCalenAdrienKallenNolenKaylen
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Cullen | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 194 | #1108 |
| 2024 | 189 | #1126 |
| 2023 | 219 | #1003 |
| 2022 | 258 | #901 |
| 2021 | 342 | #745 |
| 2020 | 370 | #688 |
| 2019 | 411 | #650 |
| 2018 | 464 | #590 |
| 2017 | 556 | #519 |
| 2016 | 529 | #546 |
| 2015 | 492 | #570 |
| 2014 | 447 | #604 |
| 2013 | 447 | #574 |
| 2012 | 474 | #549 |
| 2011 | 568 | #472 |
| 2010 | 679 | #413 |
| 2009 | 562 | #485 |
| 2008 | 283 | #782 |
| 2007 | 286 | #767 |
| 2006 | 260 | #792 |
| 2005 | 278 | #728 |
| 2004 | 270 | #710 |
| 2003 | 284 | #682 |
| 2002 | 318 | #619 |
| 2001 | 336 | #593 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Cullen a popular boy name?
Cullen ranked #1108 among boys in 2025 with 194 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #570.
When was the name Cullen most popular?
Cullen peaked in 2010, when 679 American boys received the name (ranked #413 that year). Since 2010 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Cullen?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 9,278 newborn American boys was named Cullen. It scores 78/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify 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.