Arlene
Girl name · #1631 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Arlene? In official American birth records, Arlene has been tracked continuously since 1888, giving it 137 years of documented American history.
Arlene ranks #1631 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 127 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1382, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 14,173 girls born in 2025 was named Arlene.
Babies named Arlene per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 137-year story
Arlene first appears in the Social Security records in 1888, when 9 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1934, when 3,917 girls were named Arlene — good for #53 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Arlene against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Arlene in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Arlene is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Arlene will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Arlene is most common
State-level data for Arlene is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Arlene
Statistically, parents drawn to Arlene tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Marlene, Helene, Charlene, Irene, and Darlene.
MarleneHeleneCharleneIreneDarleneNadineBobbieRosemarie
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Arlene | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 127 | #1631 |
| 2024 | 112 | #1796 |
| 2023 | 112 | #1802 |
| 2022 | 119 | #1742 |
| 2021 | 115 | #1768 |
| 2020 | 134 | #1571 |
| 2019 | 120 | #1724 |
| 2018 | 114 | #1787 |
| 2017 | 153 | #1465 |
| 2016 | 148 | #1523 |
| 2015 | 171 | #1382 |
| 2014 | 150 | #1487 |
| 2013 | 159 | #1425 |
| 2012 | 157 | #1452 |
| 2011 | 179 | #1311 |
| 2010 | 208 | #1165 |
| 2009 | 194 | #1258 |
| 2008 | 234 | #1104 |
| 2007 | 225 | #1141 |
| 2006 | 242 | #1056 |
| 2005 | 307 | #830 |
| 2004 | 244 | #974 |
| 2003 | 285 | #849 |
| 2002 | 318 | #759 |
| 2001 | 280 | #827 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Arlene?
In official American birth records, the name Arlene first appeared in 1888 (over 137 years ago), when 9 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Arlene a popular girl name?
Arlene ranked #1631 among girls in 2025 with 127 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1382.
When was the name Arlene most popular?
Arlene peaked in 1934, when 3,917 American girls received the name (ranked #53 that year). Since 1934 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Arlene?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 14,173 newborn American girls was named Arlene. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.