Chen
Masculine
Chen is given to both — 193 boys and 57 girls since 1880. See other names given to both
Chen entered the US charts in 1977, peaked at #4141 in 1983, is rarely given in 2025 — given to only a few children a year.
How old is the name Chen?
Chen first appears in US birth records in 1977 — 48 years ago. The typical Chen alive today was born around 2005, making them about 20 years old. About 200 people named Chen are estimated to be alive in the US today.
When was the name Chen most popular?
Chen peaked in 1983, reaching #4141 nationally. See the whole 1983 chart.
What the data says
146 years of official birth records
The long climb, and where it stands now
The same years in position rather than babies
- First recorded
- 1977
- Most boys named
- 19839 — the highest on record
- Peak rank
- #4141reached in 1983
- Change vs 2022
- +14.3%8 in 2024, from 7
Rank is a position, a count is a headcount, and they move independently — a name can hold its rank while the number of babies behind it falls. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration.
Chens among us
people named Chen are estimated to be alive in the US today
Estimated from SSA birth records and published actuarial life tables. Method
Is it right for you
Questions parents actually ask
Fashion outlook
Chen sits outside the current charts, and that is its own kind of answer: naming cycles can only date the names they carried up. A name this rare has no decade stamped on it — it cannot go out of fashion, because it was never in.
Based on 146 years of naming cycles. How we read them
Nobody names a baby alone.
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Chen
Masculine
Frequently asked
- How many Chens are there in the world?
- No country counts the world's names, so there is no worldwide figure — anyone quoting one is estimating. About 200 people named Chen are estimated to be alive in the US today.
- How popular is the name Chen in 2025?
- Chen is rarely given in the US today — it does not rank in the top 2000 boy names.
- Will my child share the name Chen with classmates?
- Chen will almost certainly be the only one in school.
More C names
The most-given names starting with C, all years combined.
Charles#48 · Christopher#68 · Carl#1132 · Christian#96 · Caleb#58 · Cameron#76 · Carlos#150 · Clarence#1499
Looking for what else is popular rather than what resembles Chen? See the current top 100.
Choosing between Chen and another name?
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US figures from the Social Security Administration. 1880–2025. Data & methodology
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