Galen: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#4,442

among boys · ↓1,678 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Galen · -51% vs 2024

How common

1 in 74,264

boys born in 2025

Peak year

1949

441 babies

All-time total

17,060

#918 all-time among boys

First recorded

1889

in Social Security records

Galen popularity over time

17,060 babies have been named Galen since 1889, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Girls	Boys	Total	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	6	6	1	–	#917
1890s	–	24	24	2	+300%	#823
1900s	–	52	52	5	+117%	#816
1910s	–	519	519	52	+898%	#646
1920s	–	1,039	1,039	104	+100%	#530
1930s	5	1,352	1,357	136	+31%	#439
1940s	60	2,445	2,505	251	+85%	#329
1950s	75	2,938	3,013	301	+20%	#352
1960s	62	1,957	2,019	202	-33%	#525
1970s	59	1,642	1,701	170	-16%	#557
1980s	98	1,542	1,640	164	-4%	#661
1990s	172	1,447	1,619	162	-1%	#766
2000s	29	791	820	82	-49%	#1,179
2010s	–	497	497	50	-39%	#2,184
2020s (to 2025)	–	249	249	42	-16%	#2,627

Where Galen is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	22	0.01	outside top 500
2027	20	0.01	outside top 500
2028	20	0.01	outside top 500
2029	19	0.01	outside top 500
2030	18	0.01	outside top 500

The story of Galen

Galen is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,442 in 2025 with 23 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1889, 17,060 American babies have been named Galen. Its peak came in 1949, when 441 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1940s.

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 Galen stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Galen?

The median living Galen is about 53 years old; half are between 34 and 69. An estimated 12 thousand people named Galen are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Galen 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	–	–	23	#4,442
2024	–	–	47	#2,764
2023	–	–	38	#3,194
2022	–	–	51	#2,627
2021	–	–	45	#2,789
2020	–	–	45	#2,738
2019	–	–	49	#2,634
2018	–	–	57	#2,329
2017	–	–	55	#2,358
2016	–	–	32	#3,467
2015	–	–	47	#2,619
2014	–	–	62	#2,184
2013	–	–	50	#2,475
2012	–	–	55	#2,339
2011	–	–	31	#3,460
2010	–	–	59	#2,218
2009	–	–	51	#2,496
2008	–	–	57	#2,302
2007	–	–	46	#2,661
2006	–	–	66	#2,021
2005	6	#15,129	80	#1,679
2004	–	–	85	#1,560
2003	7	#12,870	93	#1,422
2002	10	#9,747	103	#1,303
2001	6	#14,119	94	#1,361
2000	–	–	116	#1,179
1995	16	#5,775	152	#888
1990	19	#4,925	176	#766
1985	12	#5,772	159	#699
1980	9	#6,968	157	#694
1975	8	#6,702	183	#596
1970	7	#6,561	212	#557
1965	9	#4,606	164	#594
1960	–	–	220	#533
1955	5	#6,152	293	#428
1950	6	#4,925	326	#374
1945	7	#3,786	198	#424
1940	–	–	170	#444
1935	–	–	140	#480
1930	–	–	104	#595
1925	–	–	110	#601
1920	–	–	81	#723
1915	–	–	62	#763
1910	–	–	12	#949
1905	–	–	6	#1,149
1900	–	–	7	#1,089
1895	–	–	8	#823
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Famous people named Galen

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

1 Galen Greek physician, surgeon, and philosopher (c. 129–216 AD) Antiquity
2 Galen Rupp American long-distance runner (born 1986) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Galen, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Galen?

The median living Galen is about 53 years old. Half of all living Galens are between 34 and 69 years old.

How many people named Galen are alive today?

An estimated 12 thousand people named Galen are alive in the United States, based on 17,060 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Galen mean?

From Middle English Galen, from Latin Galēnus, from Ancient Greek Γαληνός (Galēnós), from γαλήνη (galḗnē, “calm, tranquillity”).

How popular is the name Galen in 2025?

Galen ranked #4,442 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 23 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Galen?

17,060 babies have been named Galen in the United States since 1889, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Galen most popular?

Galen peaked in 1949, when 441 newborns received the name.

Is Galen a boy or girl name?

Galen is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 97% of babies with the name.

Is the name Galen rising or falling?

Galen is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Will Galen become more popular?

Galen is trending downward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 18 boys named Galen in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Galen?

Well-known people named Galen include Galen (physician), Galen Rupp (athlete).

Names like Galen

Names that sound and feel close to Galen: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Galen with similar names → More names starting with G →