Harlem
Girl name · #1465 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Harlem? In official American birth records, Harlem has been tracked continuously since 2000, giving it 25 years of documented American history.
Harlem ranks #1465 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 147 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2123, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 12,245 girls born in 2025 was named Harlem.
Babies named Harlem per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 25-year story
Harlem first appears in the Social Security records in 2000, when 5 girls received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 177 babies and a rank of #1302. 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.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Harlem against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Harlem in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Harlem is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Harlem will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Harlem is most common
Geography matters for names, and Harlem is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Harlem is most common in GA (0.3 per 1,000), NC (0.3 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Harlem is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Harlem
Statistically, parents drawn to Harlem tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Salem, Harlym, Hollyn, Charm, and Harlowe.
SalemHarlymHollynCharmHarloweHartleyHollisHosanna
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Harlem | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 147 | #1458 |
| 2024 | 177 | #1302 |
| 2023 | 155 | #1439 |
| 2022 | 129 | #1638 |
| 2021 | 141 | #1498 |
| 2020 | 158 | #1373 |
| 2019 | 133 | #1598 |
| 2018 | 100 | #1968 |
| 2017 | 101 | #1964 |
| 2016 | 93 | #2093 |
| 2015 | 90 | #2123 |
| 2014 | 70 | #2535 |
| 2013 | 55 | #3005 |
| 2012 | 43 | #3644 |
| 2011 | 28 | #4915 |
| 2010 | 31 | #4608 |
| 2009 | 40 | #3870 |
| 2008 | 17 | #7408 |
| 2007 | 14 | #8520 |
| 2006 | 7 | #13606 |
| 2004 | 5 | #16099 |
| 2003 | 6 | #13844 |
| 2000 | 5 | #15031 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Harlem?
In official American birth records, the name Harlem first appeared in 2000 (over 25 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 25 years.
Is Harlem a popular girl name?
Harlem ranked #1465 among girls in 2025 with 147 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2123.
When was the name Harlem most popular?
Harlem peaked in 2024, when 177 American girls received the name (ranked #1302 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Harlem?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 12,245 newborn American girls was named Harlem. 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.