Arlen
Every Arlen since 1909 — 8,154 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Arlen
Arlen is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,587 in 2025 with 107 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1909, 8,154 American babies have been named Arlen — about 90% boys and 10% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1934, when 215 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1930s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Arlen stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Arlen year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | #5,576 | 107 | #1,587 |
| 2024 | 20 | #5,977 | 99 | #1,686 |
| 2023 | 22 | #5,571 | 101 | #1,683 |
| 2022 | 24 | #5,330 | 80 | #1,939 |
| 2021 | 17 | #6,724 | 88 | #1,790 |
| 2020 | 17 | #6,663 | 66 | #2,114 |
| 2019 | 24 | #5,324 | 68 | #2,110 |
| 2018 | 21 | #5,807 | 55 | #2,388 |
| 2017 | 13 | #8,344 | 66 | #2,092 |
| 2016 | 12 | #8,954 | 60 | #2,232 |
| 2015 | 22 | #5,855 | 59 | #2,255 |
| 2014 | 16 | #7,349 | 53 | #2,406 |
| 2013 | 11 | #9,686 | 42 | #2,766 |
| 2012 | 15 | #7,857 | 42 | #2,815 |
| 2011 | 23 | #5,755 | 41 | #2,856 |
| 2010 | 9 | #11,367 | 27 | #3,817 |
| 2009 | 22 | #6,120 | 34 | #3,278 |
| 2008 | 17 | #7,456 | 26 | #3,932 |
| 2007 | 31 | #4,697 | 31 | #3,451 |
| 2006 | 14 | #8,294 | 43 | #2,700 |
| 2005 | 19 | #6,291 | 47 | #2,433 |
| 2004 | 22 | #5,586 | 32 | #3,081 |
| 2003 | 21 | #5,604 | 27 | #3,367 |
| 2002 | 17 | #6,424 | 32 | #2,887 |
| 2001 | 23 | #5,028 | 23 | #3,621 |
| 2000 | 26 | #4,541 | 23 | #3,546 |
| 1995 | 11 | #7,561 | 41 | #2,027 |
| 1990 | 11 | #7,345 | 30 | #2,316 |
| 1985 | 7 | #8,401 | 51 | #1,356 |
| 1980 | 7 | #8,227 | 35 | #1,658 |
| 1975 | — | — | 31 | #1,631 |
| 1970 | — | — | 48 | #1,193 |
| 1965 | — | — | 51 | #1,031 |
| 1960 | — | — | 79 | #852 |
| 1955 | 5 | #5,868 | 148 | #609 |
| 1950 | — | — | 106 | #674 |
| 1945 | 6 | #4,049 | 79 | #676 |
| 1940 | — | — | 113 | #555 |
| 1935 | 5 | #4,246 | 181 | #407 |
| 1930 | — | — | 137 | #509 |
| 1925 | 5 | #5,019 | 24 | #1,535 |
| 1920 | 5 | #5,017 | 22 | #1,645 |
| 1915 | — | — | 13 | #2,073 |
| 1910 | — | — | 8 | #1,202 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Arlen
- Arlen Specter Politician · 1930–2012
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Arlen in 2025?
Arlen ranked #1,587 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 107 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Arlen?
8,154 babies have been named Arlen in the United States since 1909, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Arlen most popular?
Arlen peaked in 1934, when 215 newborns received the name.
Is Arlen a boy or girl name?
Arlen is used for both: about 10% of babies named Arlen have been girls and 90% boys.
Is the name Arlen rising or falling?
Arlen is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Arlen?
Well-known people named Arlen include Arlen Specter (politician).