Arlene
Girl name · #1631 in 2025 · Uniqueness 68/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
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?
Arlene scores 68 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. 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
Geography matters for names, and Arlene is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Arlenes were CA (20), TX (17), NY (9), PA (9), IN (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 68/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.