Arlen
- US rank
- #5,554
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #2,448 in 1937
22 babies were named Arlen in the US in 2025. It has climbed 1,075 places in five years.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1918–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Arlen you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 72,993 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Arlen, 22 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Arlen would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryArlen first shows up in US birth records in 1909, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 116 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 1937, when it reached #2,448.
- TrendArlen has climbed 1,075 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #5,554. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- Boy or girlArlen is given to both boys and girls: 83% of the 129 babies named Arlen in 2025 were boys. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
About the name Arlen
Arlen is a girl name of Irish origin. It has 5 letters and 2 syllables, starting with A and ending in “-len”. US birth records list Arlen for girls from 1918 to 2025, in 63 of those 108 years. Its best year was 1937, when it ranked #2,448 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #5,554, with 22 babies.
Origin:Irish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 2.1 | 465,116 girls |
| 1920s | 1.2 | 813,008 girls |
| 1930s | 6.1 | 163,399 girls |
| 1940s | 1.0 | 961,538 girls |
| 1950s | 0.9 | 1,149,425 girls |
| 1960s | 0.4 | 2,439,024 girls |
| 1970s | 1.1 | 943,396 girls |
| 1980s | 2.8 | 361,011 girls |
| 1990s | 6.7 | 148,588 girls |
| 2000s | 11 | 87,032 girls |
| 2010s | 9.5 | 105,042 girls |
| 2020s | 13 | 79,787 girls |
Other spellings of Arlen
More Irish girl names
- Girl name: Abigail · my father is joy
- Unisex name: Riley · rye clearing
- Girl name: Maeve · she who intoxicates
- Unisex name: Kennedy · helmeted head
- Unisex name: Rylee · rye clearing
- Unisex name: Sloane · raider
- Unisex name: Alani · orange tree
- Girl name: Everleigh · boar clearing
Questions about the name Arlen
What is the origin of the name Arlen?
Arlen has Irish roots in our records. Other Irish names include Abigail, Riley, Maeve.
Is Arlen a boy or girl name?
Arlen is a girl name, though a few boys get it too.
How popular is the name Arlen?
Arlen ranked #5,554 for US girls in 2025, given to 22 babies. Its best year was 1937 (#2,448).