Allen
An English and Scottish surname transferred from the given name derived from the given name Alan.
Every Allen since 1880 — 273,662 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Allen
Allen is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #578 in 2025 with 507 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 273,662 American babies have been named Allen. Its peak came in 1951, when 5,203 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Allen stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Allen year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 507 | #578 |
| 2024 | — | — | 502 | #572 |
| 2023 | — | — | 573 | #517 |
| 2022 | — | — | 529 | #561 |
| 2021 | — | — | 559 | #524 |
| 2020 | 11 | #8,982 | 638 | #463 |
| 2019 | 7 | #12,519 | 702 | #436 |
| 2018 | — | — | 741 | #421 |
| 2017 | — | — | 791 | #403 |
| 2016 | 6 | #14,444 | 895 | #370 |
| 2015 | — | — | 976 | #349 |
| 2014 | 5 | #16,659 | 860 | #367 |
| 2013 | 7 | #13,243 | 917 | #348 |
| 2012 | 5 | #17,032 | 959 | #329 |
| 2011 | 5 | #16,917 | 1,005 | #317 |
| 2010 | 8 | #12,340 | 975 | #322 |
| 2009 | — | — | 1,039 | #310 |
| 2008 | 9 | #11,655 | 1,139 | #293 |
| 2007 | — | — | 1,198 | #287 |
| 2006 | — | — | 1,229 | #283 |
| 2005 | 5 | #16,615 | 1,231 | #271 |
| 2004 | 8 | #11,679 | 1,303 | #255 |
| 2003 | — | — | 1,318 | #250 |
| 2002 | 6 | #13,684 | 1,384 | #246 |
| 2001 | 7 | #12,140 | 1,389 | #243 |
| 2000 | 8 | #10,784 | 1,351 | #249 |
| 1995 | 11 | #7,543 | 1,550 | #197 |
| 1990 | 15 | #5,843 | 2,220 | #141 |
| 1985 | 21 | #3,857 | 2,187 | #128 |
| 1980 | 17 | #4,329 | 2,210 | #124 |
| 1975 | 12 | #4,863 | 2,031 | #127 |
| 1970 | 21 | #3,114 | 2,933 | #113 |
| 1965 | 19 | #2,837 | 3,834 | #92 |
| 1960 | 20 | #2,734 | 4,371 | #99 |
| 1955 | 25 | #2,156 | 4,744 | #84 |
| 1950 | 19 | #2,255 | 4,840 | #71 |
| 1945 | 18 | #1,993 | 3,481 | #74 |
| 1940 | 16 | #2,033 | 3,029 | #71 |
| 1935 | 20 | #1,721 | 2,312 | #83 |
| 1930 | 30 | #1,404 | 2,278 | #85 |
| 1925 | 36 | #1,325 | 2,034 | #94 |
| 1920 | 19 | #2,016 | 1,866 | #94 |
| 1915 | 25 | #1,440 | 1,458 | #99 |
| 1910 | 9 | #1,638 | 355 | #92 |
| 1905 | — | — | 272 | #88 |
| 1900 | 8 | #1,437 | 223 | #104 |
| 1895 | — | — | 196 | #98 |
| 1890 | — | — | 189 | #90 |
| 1885 | — | — | 184 | #87 |
| 1880 | — | — | 184 | #82 |
Famous people named Allen
- Allen Ginsberg Writer · 1926–1997
- Allen Dulles Politician · 1893–1969
- Allen Carr Writer · 1934–2006
- Allen Newell Computer scientist · 1927–1992
- Allen Iverson Basketball player · b. 1975
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Allen mean?
An English and Scottish surname transferred from the given name derived from the given name Alan.
How popular is the name Allen in 2025?
Allen ranked #578 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 507 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Allen?
273,662 babies have been named Allen in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Allen most popular?
Allen peaked in 1951, when 5,203 newborns received the name.
Is Allen a boy or girl name?
Allen is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Allen rising or falling?
Allen is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Allen?
Well-known people named Allen include Allen Ginsberg (writer), Allen Dulles (politician), Allen Carr (writer).