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The name Arlen is a girl's name of English origin meaning "hare land".

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Arlen might be thought of as an update on the midcentury Arlene or as a unisex surname-name. Arlen was given to 22 girls in the US last year vs 57 boys and those numbers may grow with the fashion for n-ending two-syllable surname-names. Another similar possibility for girls: Arden.

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Arlen

English

The name Arlen is currently ranked #5576 in U.S. births. and peaked for girls at #2459 in 1937. The name is most popular in California, Texas, and Texas. Arlen is occasionally used for boys in 2025.

Arlene

The name Arlen is a boy's name of Irish origin meaning "hare land".

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Arlen is a surname long used as a first name: It ranked on the US Top 1000 from the late 1920s until the late 1960s. Originally, Arlen was a variation of Harlan which came from Harland, a place-name which means "hare land" – a place with lots of rabbits. 
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Today, the name is on the rise again in the US and was given to more than 100 boys in a recent year, with 20 girls also receiving the name. Across the pond in the UK meanwhile, Arlen has been in the Top 1000 for boys since 2019. With the fashion for two-syllable n-ending boys' names and the popularity of Arlo, Arlen may continue to rise in coming years. 

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Unisex

England

The name Arlen is currently ranked #1587 in U.S. births. and peaked for boys at #380 in 1934. The name is most popular in Massachusetts, Colorado, and Wisconsin. Arlen is occasionally used for girls in 2025.

Year	US rank	Births	Per million
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Arlen

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