Arlin
Boy name · #2771 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Arlin? In official American birth records, Arlin has been tracked continuously since 1910, giving it 115 years of documented American history.
Arlin is currently the #2771 boy name in the United States — 46 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3591, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 39,130 boys born in 2025 was named Arlin.
Babies named Arlin per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 115-year story
Arlin first appears in the Social Security records in 1910, when 9 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1935, when 85 boys were named Arlin — good for #641 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 Arlin against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Arlin in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Arlin is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Arlin will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Arlin is most common
State-level data for Arlin 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 Arlin
Statistically, parents drawn to Arlin tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Merlin, Arlan, Marlin, Olin, and Arlen.
MerlinArlanMarlinOlinArlenElvinAltonMervin
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Arlin | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 46 | #2765 |
| 2024 | 57 | #2418 |
| 2023 | 40 | #3055 |
| 2022 | 45 | #2830 |
| 2021 | 38 | #3121 |
| 2020 | 38 | #3025 |
| 2019 | 26 | #4003 |
| 2018 | 24 | #4226 |
| 2017 | 20 | #4746 |
| 2016 | 17 | #5318 |
| 2015 | 30 | #3591 |
| 2014 | 24 | #4138 |
| 2013 | 21 | #4463 |
| 2012 | 25 | #4003 |
| 2011 | 17 | #5200 |
| 2010 | 21 | #4517 |
| 2009 | 15 | #5800 |
| 2008 | 21 | #4540 |
| 2007 | 18 | #4996 |
| 2006 | 15 | #5525 |
| 2005 | 16 | #5034 |
| 2004 | 22 | #4005 |
| 2003 | 15 | #5035 |
| 2002 | 14 | #5131 |
| 2001 | 27 | #3228 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Arlin?
In official American birth records, the name Arlin first appeared in 1910 (over 115 years ago), when 9 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 115 years.
Is Arlin a popular boy name?
Arlin ranked #2771 among boys in 2025 with 46 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3591.
When was the name Arlin most popular?
Arlin peaked in 1935, when 85 American boys received the name (ranked #641 that year). Since 1935 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Arlin?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 39,130 newborn American boys was named Arlin. 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.