Arlan

Arlan - A very unique male name

Arlan appeared on the charts for the first time in 1915 on position #1523. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Arlan and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Arlan? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Arlan. The baby boy name Arlan was given to 22 baby boys in 2025, ranking #2333 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 66,649 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Arlan peaked in popularity 90 years ago in 1936 on position 645.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Arlan, 1-5?

Arlan is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Arlan is currently topping the baby name charts in Pennsylvania at position #854 - and is the least popular in California at position #1,843.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Arlan is where you live.

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Arlan origin and meaning

American — origin uncertain

Uncertain — probably a variant of Harlan or an invented blend; a Welsh derivation is sometimes claimed but not documented

Arlan has been in US data since 1915, always rarely, with a small peak in 1936 and near-identical numbers a century later. It resembles Harlan, Arlen and Arlo without being securely derived from any of them. Its flat, low line is the profile of a name families pass down rather than a fashion.

Origin uncertain

Arlan is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Arlan, pop culture references for the name Arlan and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Arlan

We've found the following names that sound similar to Arlan, sorted by popularity.

Arlen / Arlin / Arlyn / Arlington / Arlon / Aureliano / Arland / Arlind / Arlene / Aurelian /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Arlan

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Arlan a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Arlan?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

AR-lun · /ˈɑɹlən/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Arlen — A similar name; a separate established name.
• Arland — An elaborated form.

Famous bearers

None yet — no bearer for this name is documented well enough for us to list, so we show none rather than pad the list.

Style

Classic

Why parents choose it

A quiet, century-old rarity that sounds like several familiar names without being any of them.

Worth knowing

• Easily confused with Harlan, Arlen and Arlo.