Halen
A feminine name of English origin meaning "from the meadow".
Name Census estimates that about 1,998 living Americans carry the first name Halen. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 60.1% of registrations being male. The average person named Halen today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Halen births was 2021 (112 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Halen. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Halen sits in rare territory as a truly gender-neutral name, given to boys and girls in near-equal numbers.
- • Halen is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 16 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
2.0K
~ 1 in 171,549 Americans
Peak year
2021
112 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,480
Tracked since 1982
Gender
Gender distribution for Halen
Halen is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 2,022 total registrations, 1,215 (60.1%) were male and 807 (39.9%) were female.
Halen as a male name
- Ranked #2,480 in 2024
- 55 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2021 (64 births)
Halen as a female name
- Ranked #4,303 in 2024
- 33 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2023 (51 births)
Popularity
Halen: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Halen from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 692 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Halen remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Halen by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Halen during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Halens live
The SSA's state-level files cover 9 states and territories. Texas, California, Washington recorded the most babies named Halen, while Tennessee, Indiana, Utah recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 32 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Halen
The name Halen is believed to have its origins in the ancient Germanic language, with roots traced back to the 5th century AD. It is derived from the word "halla," which means "hall" or "dwelling place," suggesting a connection to a residence or a place of gathering.
During the Middle Ages, the name Halen was particularly prevalent in various regions of present-day Germany and the Netherlands. It was often used as a surname or a place name before transitioning into a given name over time. Some historical records from this period mention individuals bearing the name, although specific details are scarce.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Halen can be found in a medieval manuscript dated to the 12th century, which references a nobleman named Halen von Stein. Unfortunately, little is known about this individual beyond his name and the fact that he held a position of nobility.
In the 16th century, a Dutch theologian and philosopher named Halen Petrus (1546-1612) gained recognition for his works on metaphysics and ethics. His writings contributed to the intellectual discourse of the time and influenced subsequent scholars.
Moving into the 18th century, Halen Wittgenstein (1720-1789), a Prussian military officer, played a notable role in the Seven Years' War. His strategic abilities and leadership during various battles earned him recognition and commendations from his superiors.
Another prominent figure bearing the name Halen was the German artist Halen Kaulbach (1805-1874). Known for his realistic and detailed paintings, Kaulbach's works were highly regarded during his lifetime and are still celebrated for their artistic merit today.
The 19th century saw the birth of Halen Bernstein (1876-1953), a renowned Russian-American composer and pianist. His compositions, which blended elements of classical and jazz styles, earned him widespread acclaim and contributed significantly to the development of modern music.
It is important to note that while these examples provide insights into the historical usage of the name Halen, they may not represent an exhaustive list. The name's origins and prevalence could extend further back in time or across different regions, reflecting the diversity of cultural influences and linguistic evolutions.
People
Halen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Halen as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Halen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Halen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,998 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Halen going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 171,549 US residents.
Is Halen a common name?
We classify Halen as "Rare". It ranks above 93.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,022 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Halen most popular?
The single biggest year for Halen was 2021, when 112 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Halen is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Halen a male name?
Yes, 60.1% of people registered as Halen in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.