Jalene
Feminine name of unknown origin, possibly a variant of the name Jolene.
Name Census estimates that about 1,120 living Americans carry the first name Jalene. It is a predominantly female name (94.5% of registrations). The average person named Jalene today is around 36 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Jalene births was 2004 (45 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Jalene. 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.
People living today
1.1K
~ 1 in 306,031 Americans
Peak year
2004
45 babies that year
Average age
36
years old
2002 SSA rank
#9,907
Tracked since 1939
Gender
Gender distribution for Jalene
Jalene leans heavily female at 94.5% of total registrations, but 67 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Jalene as a male name
- Ranked #9,907 in 2002
- 6 male births in 2002
- Peak: 1995 (10 births)
Jalene as a female name
- Ranked #16,230 in 2024
- 5 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2004 (45 births)
Popularity
Jalene: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Jalene from the 1930s through to the 2020s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 349 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Jalene 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 Jalene during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Jalenes live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, New York, Texas recorded the most babies named Jalene, while New Jersey, Texas, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 42 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Jalene
Jalene is a feminine given name of uncertain origin, but it is believed to be a combination of the French name Jalen and the English name Lena. The name Jalen is a variant of the French name Jalien, which is derived from the Old French word "jalien," meaning "jealous."
The earliest recorded use of the name Jalene dates back to the early 20th century in the United States. It is possible that the name was created by combining the names Jalen and Lena as a way to create a unique and distinctive name.
While there are no known historical references to the name Jalene in ancient texts or religious scriptures, there have been several notable individuals who have borne this name throughout history.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Jalene was Jalene Johnson (1900-1985), an American artist and painter known for her vibrant landscapes and still-life paintings. Another notable Jalene was Jalene Lorenzen (1920-2010), a Danish author and journalist who wrote several books on European history and culture.
In the field of music, Jalene Peebles (1946-2010) was an American gospel singer and songwriter who gained popularity in the 1970s and 1980s for her powerful vocals and inspirational lyrics. Jalene Mathers (1960-present) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist who has released several albums and performed extensively throughout North America.
In the world of sports, Jalene Watkins (1974-present) is a former American basketball player who played in the WNBA for several seasons and was known for her defensive skills and hustle on the court.
These are just a few examples of individuals named Jalene who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout history. While the name may be relatively uncommon, it has a unique and intriguing background that reflects its blend of French and English influences.
People
Jalene + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Jalene as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with J
Other first names starting with J with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Jalene: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Jalene?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,120 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Jalene 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 306,031 US residents.
Is Jalene a common name?
We classify Jalene as "Rare". It ranks above 90.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,227 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Jalene most popular?
The single biggest year for Jalene was 2004, when 45 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Jalene is about 36 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Jalene a female name?
Yes, 94.5% of people registered as Jalene in the SSA data are female. 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.