Arlo is one of the surprise hit names of this decade, jumping up the popularity list in the US, partially inspired by the character Arlo Givens on television's Justified.
Arlo has many possible derivations: possibly a shortened form of Italian name Carlo, in Basque-speaking regions it is the word for area, and in English, Arlo was first used in the 16th Century by Edmund Spenser in The Faerie Queene and is thought to derive from the Celtic word Aherlow (meaning between two highlands).
Arlo, strongly associated with shaggy singer Arlo Guthrie, has an animated and cheery feel, thanks to its upbeat o ending. Arlo was chosen by Toni Colette for her son, which might give it a further bounce in popularity.
Arlo was popular in the first half of the twentieth century--it was Number 667 in 1915, for example. However, it's been experiencing a major revival and is now more popular than it's ever been. Arlo is even more popular in the UK and New Zealand and is a great favorite on Nameberry.
