Harlan
American contraction of Harland, from Old English har (“grey”) / hara (“hare”) + land (“land”).
Every Harlan since 1880 — 26,980 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Harlan
Harlan is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #617 in 2025 with 454 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 26,980 American babies have been named Harlan. Its peak came in 1924, when 519 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Harlan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Harlan 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 | 36 | #4,015 | 454 | #617 |
| 2024 | 44 | #3,536 | 412 | #666 |
| 2023 | 50 | #3,243 | 418 | #654 |
| 2022 | 40 | #3,790 | 357 | #728 |
| 2021 | 42 | #3,637 | 433 | #638 |
| 2020 | 31 | #4,390 | 368 | #692 |
| 2019 | 21 | #5,861 | 278 | #818 |
| 2018 | 24 | #5,373 | 319 | #744 |
| 2017 | 34 | #4,251 | 297 | #788 |
| 2016 | 27 | #5,047 | 274 | #829 |
| 2015 | 33 | #4,335 | 275 | #822 |
| 2014 | 21 | #6,074 | 224 | #942 |
| 2013 | 20 | #6,334 | 252 | #846 |
| 2012 | 16 | #7,585 | 178 | #1,067 |
| 2011 | 15 | #7,934 | 160 | #1,134 |
| 2010 | 17 | #7,317 | 157 | #1,169 |
| 2009 | 7 | #14,221 | 142 | #1,253 |
| 2008 | 9 | #11,948 | 125 | #1,368 |
| 2007 | — | — | 89 | #1,705 |
| 2006 | — | — | 88 | #1,632 |
| 2005 | 5 | #17,416 | 69 | #1,860 |
| 2004 | — | — | 58 | #2,061 |
| 2003 | — | — | 68 | #1,771 |
| 2002 | — | — | 66 | #1,751 |
| 2001 | — | — | 63 | #1,784 |
| 2000 | — | — | 82 | #1,491 |
| 1995 | — | — | 77 | #1,343 |
| 1990 | — | — | 89 | #1,151 |
| 1985 | — | — | 72 | #1,100 |
| 1980 | — | — | 85 | #976 |
| 1975 | — | — | 94 | #859 |
| 1970 | — | — | 139 | #706 |
| 1965 | — | — | 168 | #587 |
| 1960 | — | — | 234 | #518 |
| 1955 | — | — | 299 | #422 |
| 1950 | — | — | 273 | #408 |
| 1945 | — | — | 322 | #333 |
| 1940 | — | — | 301 | #330 |
| 1935 | — | — | 388 | #275 |
| 1930 | — | — | 425 | #275 |
| 1925 | 7 | #4,191 | 470 | #263 |
| 1920 | — | — | 331 | #319 |
| 1915 | — | — | 266 | #320 |
| 1910 | — | — | 41 | #426 |
| 1905 | — | — | 25 | #437 |
| 1900 | — | — | 19 | #567 |
| 1895 | — | — | 12 | #621 |
| 1890 | — | — | 13 | #547 |
| 1885 | — | — | 10 | #618 |
| 1880 | — | — | 8 | #707 |
Famous people named Harlan
- Harlan Ellison Writer · 1934–2018
- Harlan Coben Writer · b. 1962
- Harlan F. Stone Judge · 1872–1946
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Harlan mean?
American contraction of Harland, from Old English har (“grey”) / hara (“hare”) + land (“land”).
How popular is the name Harlan in 2025?
Harlan ranked #617 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 454 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Harlan?
26,980 babies have been named Harlan in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Harlan most popular?
Harlan peaked in 1924, when 519 newborns received the name.
Is Harlan a boy or girl name?
Harlan is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Harlan rising or falling?
Harlan is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Harlan?
Well-known people named Harlan include Harlan Ellison (writer), Harlan Coben (writer), Harlan F. Stone (judge).