Kristen
A spelling variant of Kristin, from Christina, fairly popular in the latter half of the twentieth century.
Every Kristen since 1938 — 220,952 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kristen
Kristen is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,999 in 2025 with 96 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1938, 220,952 American babies have been named Kristen. Its peak came in 1982, when 9,596 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
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 Kristen stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kristen 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 | 96 | #1,999 | 10 | #7,985 |
| 2024 | 181 | #1,283 | 8 | #9,486 |
| 2023 | 143 | #1,508 | 9 | #8,625 |
| 2022 | 119 | #1,747 | 8 | #9,476 |
| 2021 | 134 | #1,573 | 9 | #8,555 |
| 2020 | 137 | #1,548 | 10 | #7,839 |
| 2019 | 174 | #1,316 | 10 | #7,962 |
| 2018 | 190 | #1,230 | 7 | #10,279 |
| 2017 | 221 | #1,129 | 13 | #6,524 |
| 2016 | 253 | #1,045 | 13 | #6,560 |
| 2015 | 310 | #890 | 10 | #7,807 |
| 2014 | 340 | #815 | 10 | #7,892 |
| 2013 | 389 | #714 | 5 | #13,222 |
| 2012 | 429 | #659 | 13 | #6,514 |
| 2011 | 430 | #660 | 8 | #9,244 |
| 2010 | 508 | #577 | 13 | #6,570 |
| 2009 | 566 | #533 | 12 | #7,057 |
| 2008 | 644 | #491 | 13 | #6,622 |
| 2007 | 768 | #428 | 12 | #6,897 |
| 2006 | 876 | #372 | 13 | #6,310 |
| 2005 | 984 | #326 | 13 | #6,068 |
| 2004 | 1,220 | #264 | 21 | #4,200 |
| 2003 | 1,437 | #229 | 16 | #4,943 |
| 2002 | 1,716 | #186 | 14 | #5,284 |
| 2001 | 1,991 | #162 | 15 | #5,036 |
| 2000 | 2,356 | #142 | 9 | #7,155 |
| 1995 | 5,398 | #65 | 39 | #2,125 |
| 1990 | 8,073 | #42 | 55 | #1,539 |
| 1985 | 8,445 | #38 | 69 | #1,120 |
| 1980 | 7,316 | #39 | 66 | #1,119 |
| 1975 | 4,674 | #60 | 71 | #978 |
| 1970 | 4,600 | #83 | 47 | #1,213 |
| 1965 | 1,726 | #191 | 17 | #1,964 |
| 1960 | 541 | #415 | 18 | #1,948 |
| 1955 | 230 | #612 | 12 | #2,372 |
| 1950 | 158 | #678 | 7 | #3,192 |
| 1945 | 54 | #1,070 | — | — |
| 1940 | 7 | #3,684 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Kristen
- Kristen Stewart Actor · b. 1990
- Kristen Bell Actor · b. 1980
- Kristen Nygaard Computer scientist · 1926–2002
- Kristen Wiig Actor · b. 1973
- Kristen Johnston Actor · b. 1967
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kristen mean?
A spelling variant of Kristin, from Christina, fairly popular in the latter half of the twentieth century.
How popular is the name Kristen in 2025?
Kristen ranked #1,999 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 96 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kristen?
220,952 babies have been named Kristen in the United States since 1938, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kristen most popular?
Kristen peaked in 1982, when 9,596 newborns received the name.
Is Kristen a boy or girl name?
Kristen is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Kristen rising or falling?
Kristen is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Kristen?
Well-known people named Kristen include Kristen Stewart (actor), Kristen Bell (actor), Kristen Nygaard (computer scientist).