Arlan: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#2,392

among boys · ↑361 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Arlan · +21% vs 2024

How common

1 in 29,966

boys born in 2025

Peak year

1936

87 babies

All-time total

3,434

#2,313 all-time among boys

First recorded

1912

in Social Security records

Arlan popularity over time

3,434 babies have been named Arlan since 1912, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Boys	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–
1910s	90	9	–	#1,897
1920s	264	26	+193%	#1,218
1930s	604	60	+129%	#625
1940s	606	61	0%	#746
1950s	517	52	-15%	#940
1960s	309	31	-40%	#1,153
1970s	169	17	-45%	#1,747
1980s	122	12	-28%	#2,787
1990s	104	10	-15%	#4,185
2000s	134	13	+29%	#4,234
2010s	245	25	+83%	#3,111
2020s (to 2025)	270	45	+84%	#2,392

Where Arlan is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	60	0.04	outside top 500
2027	63	0.04	outside top 500
2028	66	0.04	outside top 500
2029	68	0.04	outside top 500
2030	70	0.04	outside top 500

The story of Arlan

Arlan is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,392 in 2025 with 57 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1912, 3,434 American babies have been named Arlan. Its peak came in 1936, when 87 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1930s.

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 Arlan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Arlan?

The median living Arlan is about 56 years old; half are between 16 and 73. An estimated 2,100 people named Arlan are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Arlan year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Boys	Boys rank
2025	57	#2,392
2024	47	#2,753
2023	49	#2,661
2022	34	#3,416
2021	40	#3,023
2020	43	#2,807
2019	34	#3,352
2018	37	#3,111
2017	29	#3,682
2016	25	#4,104
2015	24	#4,187
2014	18	#5,079
2013	21	#4,475
2012	16	#5,498
2011	22	#4,370
2010	19	#4,856
2009	16	#5,576
2008	12	#6,789
2007	16	#5,451
2006	22	#4,234
2005	15	#5,303
2004	12	#6,158
2003	11	#6,292
2002	13	#5,420
2001	7	#8,399
2000	10	#6,350
1995	5	#8,961
1990	13	#4,185
1985	9	#4,352
1980	15	#2,973
1975	13	#2,915
1970	20	#1,990
1965	31	#1,386
1960	46	#1,153
1955	51	#1,054
1950	47	#1,022
1945	65	#761
1940	66	#758
1935	58	#814
1930	53	#915
1925	25	#1,497
1920	20	#1,752
1915	11	#2,316
1910	–	–
1905	–	–
1900	–	–
1895	–	–
1890	–	–
1885	–	–
1880	–	–

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Arlan, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Arlan?

The median living Arlan is about 56 years old. Half of all living Arlans are between 16 and 73 years old.

How many people named Arlan are alive today?

An estimated 2,100 people named Arlan are alive in the United States, based on 3,434 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Arlan in 2025?

Arlan ranked #2,392 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 57 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Arlan?

3,434 babies have been named Arlan in the United States since 1912, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Arlan most popular?

Arlan peaked in 1936, when 87 newborns received the name.

Is Arlan a boy or girl name?

Arlan is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Arlan rising or falling?

Arlan is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Arlan become more popular?

Arlan is trending upward. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 70 boys named Arlan in 2030, which would rank outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Names like Arlan

Names that sound and feel close to Arlan: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Arlan with similar names → More names starting with A →