Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1939

Arleen

Gender Girl Rank 2025 #6,145

A female given name originating as a coinage, variant of Arlene.

Rank 2025
#6,145
among girls · ↓1,366 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
19
named Arleen · -32% vs 2024
How common
1 in 84,593
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1939
415 babies
All-time total
12,617
#1,450 all-time among girls
First recorded
1898
in Social Security records

Arleen popularity over time

12,617 babies have been named Arleen since 1898, 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
0.10.20.30.418801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

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 Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s 12 – 12 1 – #1,285
1900s 73 – 73 7 +508% #1,138
1910s 536 – 536 54 +634% #721
1920s 1,610 – 1,610 161 +200% #507
1930s 1,537 – 1,537 154 -5% #303
1940s 2,560 6 2,566 257 +67% #386
1950s 2,182 – 2,182 218 -15% #557
1960s 1,812 – 1,812 181 -17% #594
1970s 331 – 331 33 -82% #1,620
1980s 304 – 304 30 -8% #2,514
1990s 372 – 372 37 +22% #2,815
2000s 547 – 547 55 +47% #2,408
2010s 527 – 527 53 -4% #2,746
2020s (to 2025) 208 – 208 35 -34% #3,425

The story of Arleen

Arleen is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #6,145 in 2025 with 19 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1898, 12,617 American babies have been named Arleen. Its peak came in 1939, when 415 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 Arleen stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Arleen?

The median living Arleen is about 66 years old; half are between 47 and 77. An estimated 7,800 people named Arleen are alive in the United States today.

median 66 020406080100

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

Arleen year by year

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

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 19 #6,145 – –
2024 28 #4,779 – –
2023 34 #4,198 – –
2022 46 #3,425 – –
2021 41 #3,684 – –
2020 40 #3,689 – –
2019 29 #4,662 – –
2018 61 #2,785 – –
2017 48 #3,310 – –
2016 50 #3,236 – –
2015 58 #2,966 – –
2014 63 #2,746 – –
2013 43 #3,579 – –
2012 56 #3,010 – –
2011 61 #2,844 – –
2010 58 #2,941 – –
2009 49 #3,370 – –
2008 68 #2,695 – –
2007 53 #3,218 – –
2006 68 #2,637 – –
2005 73 #2,408 – –
2004 51 #3,037 – –
2003 50 #3,005 – –
2002 48 #3,021 – –
2001 47 #3,013 – –
2000 40 #3,339 – –
1995 33 #3,363 – –
1990 35 #3,162 – –
1985 32 #2,864 – –
1980 28 #3,071 – –
1975 26 #2,815 – –
1970 58 #1,620 – –
1965 190 #718 – –
1960 253 #636 – –
1955 232 #607 – –
1950 222 #557 – –
1945 174 #557 – –
1940 268 #417 – –
1935 93 #693 – –
1930 144 #566 – –
1925 185 #520 – –
1920 134 #617 – –
1915 70 #787 – –
1910 14 #1,212 – –
1905 9 #1,307 – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Arleen

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Arleen Sorkin Arleen Sorkin American actress (1955–2023) b. 1956 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Arleen?

The median living Arleen is about 66 years old. Half of all living Arleens are between 47 and 77 years old.

How many people named Arleen are alive today?

An estimated 7,800 people named Arleen are alive in the United States, based on 12,617 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Arleen mean?

A female given name originating as a coinage, variant of Arlene.

How popular is the name Arleen in 2025?

Arleen ranked #6,145 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 19 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Arleen?

12,617 babies have been named Arleen in the United States since 1898, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Arleen most popular?

Arleen peaked in 1939, when 415 newborns received the name.

Is Arleen a boy or girl name?

Arleen is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Arleen rising or falling?

Arleen is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Arleen?

Well-known people named Arleen include Arleen Sorkin (actor).

Names like Arleen

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

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