Arlen
How to say it: AHR-lin · /ˈɑrlɪn/
Irish surname-name meaning 'pledge' - mid-century unisex name with country-music ties.
Arlen was the 1,057th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 129 babies of either sex (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1930s, its births are up about 34% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #838 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #1,057 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 (both sexes) | 129 |
| Share of births | 1 in 14,228 |
| Peak decade | 1930s |
| Change over 10 years | +34% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #838 |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Long familiar then nearly gone, Arlen faded through the 1970s after an early high in the 1930s. It now sits well below that high, though a modest revival appears underway.
What goes with it
Compact and even in two syllables, Arlen leans on soft sounds for a steady calm. Reid echoes that understated style.
Nicknames
- Arlie
- Len
Honouring a Arlen in the family
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Arlen is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, Irish.
Famous people named Arlen
- Arlen Specter (1930–2012)American politician
- Arlen Escarpeta (born 1980)Belizean actor
- Arlen Siú (1955–1975)Nicaraguan poet and Sandinista revolutionary
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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