Unisex name · English, Irish, Germanic

Arlin

How to say it: AR-lin · /ˈɑrlɪn/

From English surname Arlin, possibly from Irish 'Arlen' or Germanic 'oath' - used as unisex name since early 1900s.

Arlin was the 1,057th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 52 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

#1,057for boys in 2025
1 in 14,228US babies
52born in 2025
#838projected for 2030
1930sits peak decade
under 1 in 200chance a classmate shares it

Key facts

Key facts about Arlin
Rank among boys’ names, 2025#1,057
Babies born in 2025 (both sexes)52
Share of births1 in 14,228
Peak decade1930s
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

Arlin peaked in the 1930s, nearly vanished by the 1970s, and has come back.

1900195020002020–25
Peak: 35 per million births, 1930s.

What goes with it

Nicknames

  • Arlie
  • Lin

In the classroom

In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Arlin is about under 1 in 200.

Around the world

This spelling is used in English, German, Irish, Spanish.

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