Harlan
How to say it: HAR-lun · /ˈhɑrlən/
From an English surname and place name; Old English meaning 'hare land' or 'rocky land'. Used as a given name since the 19th century.
Harlan was the 554th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 454 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1920s, its births are up about 52% in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #465 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #554 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 454 |
| Share of births | 1 in 6,462 |
| Peak decade | 1920s |
| Change over 10 years | +52% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #465 |
| In France, 2025 | #2,436 among boys’ names, 5 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
After almost vanishing through the 1990s, Harlan has returned to near its 1920s height. The next few years are likely to carry it higher still.
What goes with it
Harlan sounds broad and mellow with rolling consonants. Everett shares its easy strength.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Harlan is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French.
In France: #2,436 for boys in 2025.
England and Wales: #476.
Famous people named Harlan
- Harlan Coben (born 1962)American writer
- Harlan Ellison (1934–2018)American writer
- Harlan F. Stone (1872–1946)Chief justice of the United States from 1941 to 1946
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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