Given name & surname
Arlen
“a solemn, binding promise”
Arlen is used as a given name and a surname. One interpretation is “a solemn, binding promise.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One interpretation is “a solemn, binding promise.”
Where it comes from
Arlen is a variant of Arlene. A possible origin is Irish, although the derivation remains uncertain.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1909. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Arlen through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 8,154
- 7,345 boys · 809 girls
- Most popular year
- 1934
- 215 babies
- 2025
- 129
- #1,587 for boys · #5,576 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +44%
- Rising
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 80% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 107 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,587 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 50.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 206 in 1934. It also appeared in 22 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (13). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,836 as a first name in 2020; 615 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Arlen’s family of names
Arlen has a related form in Arlene. Arlen has a related form in Arlyn. Arlen has a related form in Arlin.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 18
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
People named Arlen
- Arlen SpecterAmerican politician (1930–2012)
- Arlen EscarpetaBelizean actorborn 1980
- Arlen SiuNicaraguan singer-songwriter, poet and Sandinista revolutionary (1955–1975)
- Arlen ErdahlAmerican politician (1931–2023)
- Arlen BockhornAmerican basketball playerborn 1933
- Arlen NessAmerican entrepreneur and motorcyclist (1939–2019)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Arlen, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Harvey
“one who is ready for battle” · “a strong man”
98% boys · 2% girls
Virgil
“the staff-bearer”
>99% boys
Cecil
“one who is blind” · “the sixth-born child”
>99% boys
Arnold
“the eagle ruler”
>99% boys
Harlan
“an athletic woman” · “from the army”
91% boys · 9% girls
Harland
“an athletic woman” · “from the army”
95% boys · 5% girls
Warner
“of the defending army”
98% boys · 2% girls
Crawford
“from the crow's ford”
94% boys · 6% girls