Arlen

Arlen - A very unique male name

Arlen appeared on the charts for the first time in 1922 on position #1749. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Arlen and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Arlen? 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 Arlen. The baby boy name Arlen was given to 45 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1780 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 32,584 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Arlen peaked in popularity 92 years ago in 1934 on position 389.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Arlen, 1-5?

Arlen is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Arlen is currently topping the baby name charts in Tennessee at position #780 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #2,307.

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 Arlen is where you live.

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Arlen origin and meaning

American — derivation uncertain

Uncertain — Arlen is an American name of unclear origin; suggestions include a variant of Arlan, a place-name transfer, and a coinage popularised by songwriter Harold Arlen (born Hyman Arluck, who took Arlen from his mother's maiden name, Arluck-adjacent family naming), but no derivation is documented

Arlen peaked in America in 1934 and has been a low-level name ever since, currently rising modestly in rank. Its -en ending and Ar- opening now blend into the modern landscape of Arlo and Harlan, which may help it. The name's best-known bearer carried it as a chosen surname, not a given name, so he is not listed as a bearer.

Origin uncertain

Arlen is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Arlen

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

Arlan / 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 Arlen

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 Arlen 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 Arlen?

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-len · /ˈɑrlən/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Arlan — A close variant spelling.
• Arlyn — Another variant, also used for girls.

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

Vintage revival

Why parents choose it

Arlen has a soft, mid-century Americana feel that sits well beside revived names like Arlo. It is familiar but rare.

Worth knowing

• Its origin is genuinely murky — treat any tidy meaning offered online with suspicion; it is also confused with Arlan and Harlan.