Arlene
A female given name originating as a coinage.
Every Arlene since 1888 — 143,371 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Arlene
Arlene is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,632 in 2025 with 127 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1888, 143,371 American babies have been named Arlene. Its peak came in 1934, when 3,930 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 Arlene stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Arlene 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 | 127 | #1,632 | — | — |
| 2024 | 112 | #1,796 | — | — |
| 2023 | 112 | #1,806 | — | — |
| 2022 | 119 | #1,742 | — | — |
| 2021 | 115 | #1,769 | — | — |
| 2020 | 134 | #1,571 | — | — |
| 2019 | 120 | #1,728 | — | — |
| 2018 | 114 | #1,787 | — | — |
| 2017 | 153 | #1,466 | — | — |
| 2016 | 148 | #1,524 | — | — |
| 2015 | 171 | #1,382 | — | — |
| 2014 | 150 | #1,487 | — | — |
| 2013 | 159 | #1,427 | — | — |
| 2012 | 157 | #1,452 | — | — |
| 2011 | 179 | #1,314 | — | — |
| 2010 | 208 | #1,166 | — | — |
| 2009 | 194 | #1,259 | — | — |
| 2008 | 234 | #1,104 | — | — |
| 2007 | 225 | #1,141 | — | — |
| 2006 | 242 | #1,056 | — | — |
| 2005 | 307 | #830 | — | — |
| 2004 | 244 | #974 | — | — |
| 2003 | 285 | #849 | — | — |
| 2002 | 318 | #760 | — | — |
| 2001 | 280 | #827 | — | — |
| 2000 | 286 | #798 | — | — |
| 1995 | 297 | #705 | — | — |
| 1990 | 314 | #680 | — | — |
| 1985 | 347 | #568 | — | — |
| 1980 | 371 | #520 | — | — |
| 1975 | 408 | #461 | — | — |
| 1970 | 718 | #349 | — | — |
| 1965 | 1,054 | #266 | — | — |
| 1960 | 1,625 | #211 | 8 | #3,095 |
| 1955 | 1,982 | #175 | 5 | #3,905 |
| 1950 | 2,390 | #132 | 5 | #3,711 |
| 1945 | 2,771 | #99 | 7 | #2,758 |
| 1940 | 3,257 | #75 | 15 | #1,804 |
| 1935 | 3,684 | #59 | 8 | #2,727 |
| 1930 | 2,509 | #103 | 13 | #2,184 |
| 1925 | 2,275 | #120 | 5 | #4,233 |
| 1920 | 1,594 | #145 | 5 | #4,326 |
| 1915 | 864 | #193 | — | — |
| 1910 | 207 | #268 | — | — |
| 1905 | 77 | #386 | — | — |
| 1900 | 47 | #494 | — | — |
| 1895 | 23 | #639 | — | — |
| 1890 | 11 | #830 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Arlene
- Arlene Dahl Actor · b. 1925
- Arlene Francis Actor · 1907–2001
- Arlene Foster Politician · b. 1970
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Arlene mean?
A female given name originating as a coinage.
How popular is the name Arlene in 2025?
Arlene ranked #1,632 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 127 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Arlene?
143,371 babies have been named Arlene in the United States since 1888, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Arlene most popular?
Arlene peaked in 1934, when 3,930 newborns received the name.
Is Arlene a boy or girl name?
Arlene is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Arlene rising or falling?
Arlene is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Arlene?
Well-known people named Arlene include Arlene Dahl (actor), Arlene Francis (actor), Arlene Foster (politician).