Harlan

Did you know?

A few things about Harlan you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Harlan

Harlan Ellison

American writer (1934–2018)

Choose Harlan and your child shares a first name with Harlan Ellison, an American writer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Harlan, like who?” Harlan Ellison's Wikipedia article is available in 50 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Harlan Ellison on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: Pip R. Lagenta from San Mateo, San Mateo, CC BY 2.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 3,762 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Harlan, 454 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Harlan would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryHarlan has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Harlans, and counting.
• 🏆Best yearIts best year was 1924, when it reached #253.
• 📈Then vs nowHarlan is 6.4× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 23,923 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 3,762.
• 🚀TrendHarlan has climbed 75 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #617. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedHarlan is most popular in Kentucky, where it ranks #203, followed by Minnesota (#263) and Iowa (#346). It's in the top 1,000 in 32 states.

About the name Harlan

Harlan is a boy name of English origin. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with H and ending in “-lan”. US birth records list Harlan for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1924, when it ranked #253 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #617, with 454 babies.

Origin:English names