Harlen
Boy name · #2337 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Harlen? In official American birth records, Harlen has been tracked continuously since 1907, giving it 118 years of documented American history.
Harlen ranks #2337 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 59 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2234, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 30,508 boys born in 2025 was named Harlen.
Babies named Harlen per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 118-year story
Harlen first appears in the Social Security records in 1907, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1936, when 65 boys were named Harlen — good for #747 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 Harlen against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Harlen in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Harlen is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Harlen will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Harlen is most common
State-level data for Harlen 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 Harlen
Statistically, parents drawn to Harlen tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Arlen, Olen, Arlan, Elden, and Arlin.
ArlenOlenArlanEldenArlinHendersonHarlandHosea
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Harlen | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 59 | #2332 |
| 2024 | 62 | #2288 |
| 2023 | 64 | #2221 |
| 2022 | 59 | #2379 |
| 2021 | 59 | #2321 |
| 2020 | 50 | #2546 |
| 2019 | 60 | #2292 |
| 2018 | 53 | #2445 |
| 2017 | 61 | #2186 |
| 2016 | 56 | #2335 |
| 2015 | 60 | #2234 |
| 2014 | 44 | #2705 |
| 2013 | 39 | #2895 |
| 2012 | 43 | #2772 |
| 2011 | 51 | #2437 |
| 2010 | 42 | #2826 |
| 2009 | 39 | #2991 |
| 2008 | 33 | #3344 |
| 2007 | 20 | #4640 |
| 2006 | 22 | #4223 |
| 2005 | 19 | #4464 |
| 2004 | 15 | #5246 |
| 2003 | 17 | #4616 |
| 2002 | 7 | #8456 |
| 2001 | 14 | #5142 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Harlen?
In official American birth records, the name Harlen first appeared in 1907 (over 118 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 118 years.
Is Harlen a popular boy name?
Harlen ranked #2337 among boys in 2025 with 59 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2234.
When was the name Harlen most popular?
Harlen peaked in 1936, when 65 American boys received the name (ranked #747 that year). Since 1936 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Harlen?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 30,508 newborn American boys was named Harlen. 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.