Holding steady.
Popularity of Starlene since 1937
Babies named Starlene per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1930s | 23 |
| 1940s | 137 |
| 1950s | 307 |
| 1960s | 300 |
| 1970s | 148 |
| 1980s | 163 |
| 1990s | 85 |
| 2000s | 87 |
| 2010s | 28 |
| 2020s | 5 |
Meaning & origin
Starlene is a mid-20th-century American coinage that combines a celestial image with a fashionable suffix. First recorded in 1937, it reached its peak year in 1950, likely reflecting the era's fascination with space and the stars. However, it never achieved widespread use; the name has remained extremely rare, with a stable trajectory and no recent revival. Despite its lack of top-1000 rank, Starlene fits a niche of vintage-style compound names. The absence of top states suggests even distribution among the few births. Its rarity gives it a distinctive charm for parents seeking a name that feels both nostalgic and uncommon.
Starlene is a 20th-century coinage formed from the English word 'star' and the suffix '-lene', a fashionable ending in English feminine names (seen in names like Marlene and Charlene). It first appeared in U.S. records in 1937. The name enjoyed modest popularity in the mid-20th century, with its peak year in 1950, but has since declined and is now rarely used.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Star, Lena, Starly
Sibling names for Starlene
Names that share Starlene's style, for a brother or sister.
