Arlena
A female given name originating as a coinage, variant of Arlene.
Every Arlena since 1883 — 2,830 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Arlena
Arlena is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #11,045 in 2025 with 8 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1883, 2,830 American babies have been named Arlena. Its peak came in 1919, when 60 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
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 Arlena stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Arlena year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | #11,045 |
| 2024 | 13 | #8,019 |
| 2023 | 6 | #13,643 |
| 2022 | 9 | #10,484 |
| 2021 | 9 | #10,385 |
| 2020 | 7 | #12,297 |
| 2019 | 11 | #9,187 |
| 2018 | 8 | #11,528 |
| 2017 | 18 | #6,564 |
| 2016 | 8 | #11,910 |
| 2015 | 7 | #13,156 |
| 2014 | 13 | #8,527 |
| 2013 | 6 | #14,819 |
| 2012 | 6 | #15,174 |
| 2011 | 6 | #15,042 |
| 2010 | 9 | #11,368 |
| 2009 | 8 | #12,552 |
| 2008 | 7 | #14,011 |
| 2007 | 10 | #10,908 |
| 2006 | 9 | #11,551 |
| 2005 | 5 | #16,769 |
| 2004 | 14 | #7,871 |
| 2003 | 16 | #6,923 |
| 2002 | 16 | #6,730 |
| 2001 | 13 | #7,784 |
| 2000 | 15 | #6,840 |
| 1995 | 29 | #3,674 |
| 1990 | 26 | #3,915 |
| 1985 | 17 | #4,467 |
| 1980 | 23 | #3,514 |
| 1975 | 17 | #3,784 |
| 1970 | 26 | #2,713 |
| 1965 | 24 | #2,468 |
| 1960 | 20 | #2,737 |
| 1955 | 12 | #3,389 |
| 1950 | 30 | #1,726 |
| 1945 | 22 | #1,798 |
| 1940 | 25 | #1,551 |
| 1935 | 19 | #1,783 |
| 1930 | 48 | #1,060 |
| 1925 | 54 | #1,021 |
| 1920 | 45 | #1,121 |
| 1915 | 26 | #1,406 |
| 1910 | 20 | #973 |
| 1905 | 15 | #969 |
| 1900 | 17 | #921 |
| 1895 | 6 | #1,437 |
| 1890 | 8 | #1,010 |
| 1885 | 5 | #1,055 |
| 1880 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Arlena mean?
A female given name originating as a coinage, variant of Arlene.
How popular is the name Arlena in 2025?
Arlena ranked #11,045 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 8 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Arlena?
2,830 babies have been named Arlena in the United States since 1883, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Arlena most popular?
Arlena peaked in 1919, when 60 newborns received the name.
Is Arlena a boy or girl name?
Arlena is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Arlena rising or falling?
Arlena has been roughly stable over the past decade.