Harlan
Girl name · #3993 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Harlan? In official American birth records, Harlan has been tracked continuously since 1925, giving it 100 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 36 baby girls were named Harlan, placing it at #3993 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #4295, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 50,000 girls born in 2025 was named Harlan.
The 100-year story
Harlan first appears in the Social Security records in 1925, when 7 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 50 babies and a rank of #3225. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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.
Babies named Harlan per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Harlan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Harlan in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Harlan is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Harlan will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Harlan is most common
State-level data for Harlan 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 Harlan
Statistically, parents drawn to Harlan tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Mulan, Heran, Hudsyn, Neylan, and Lareen.
MulanHeranHudsynNeylanLareenHamptonHazelynnHayzel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Harlan | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 36 | #3975 |
| 2024 | 44 | #3516 |
| 2023 | 50 | #3225 |
| 2022 | 40 | #3765 |
| 2021 | 42 | #3614 |
| 2020 | 31 | #4358 |
| 2019 | 21 | #5798 |
| 2018 | 24 | #5315 |
| 2017 | 34 | #4220 |
| 2016 | 27 | #4990 |
| 2015 | 33 | #4295 |
| 2014 | 21 | #5993 |
| 2013 | 20 | #6255 |
| 2012 | 16 | #7456 |
| 2011 | 15 | #7783 |
| 2010 | 17 | #7217 |
| 2009 | 7 | #13704 |
| 2008 | 9 | #11599 |
| 2005 | 5 | #16462 |
| 1925 | 7 | #4028 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Harlan?
In official American birth records, the name Harlan first appeared in 1925 (over 100 years ago), when 7 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 100 years.
Is Harlan a popular girl name?
Harlan ranked #3993 among girls in 2025 with 36 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4295.
When was the name Harlan most popular?
Harlan peaked in 2023, when 50 American girls received the name (ranked #3225 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Harlan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 50,000 newborn American girls was named Harlan. 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.