Harlan
Top 1000
About Harlan
Pleasant but uninspired surname name somewhat connected to writers Ellison and Coben. After three decades off the US Top 1000, it reentered in 2013, maybe because it's an unusual example of the trendy class of two-syllable n-ending boys’ names. Kevin Harlan is an NFL, NBA, and college basketball announcer for TV and radio.
Pronounced HAR-lun.
As of October 2026, Harlan ranked #617 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #253 in 1924, Nameberry popularity #267.
Editor's take: The name Harlan is a boy's name of German origin meaning "rocky land".
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #942 | 224 | 116.6 |
| 2015 | #822 | 275 | 143.5 |
| 2016 | #829 | 274 | 144.4 |
| 2017 | #788 | 297 | 160.5 |
| 2018 | #744 | 319 | 175.6 |
| 2019 | #818 | 278 | 154.9 |
| 2020 | #692 | 368 | 213.2 |
| 2021 | #637 | 433 | 247.5 |
| 2022 | #726 | 357 | 204.5 |
| 2023 | #652 | 418 | 244.4 |
| 2024 | #666 | 411 | 238.6 |
| 2025 | #617 | 454 | 265.8 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Harlan.
- Merrick
- Reeve
- Lochlan
- Callahan
- Teagan
- Cullen
- Bowen
- Adler
- Leland
- Vaughn
- Anders
- Finneas
- Barrett
- Truett
- Waylon
- Kellen
- Langston
- Keaton
- Boden
- Halston
Harlan on lists
Famous Harlans
- Harlan Fiske Stone
12th Chief Justice of the United States
- Harlan Coben
American novelist
- Harlan Jay Ellison
American speculative fiction novelist
- Harlan Lattimore
American singer
- Harlan Briggs
American actor
- Harlan Perry Howard
American singer,songwriter
- Harlan Hubbard
American painter
- Harlan Daumann
Canadian singer,songwriter; son of singer John Mann
- Harlan Roy Griffin (b. 2014)
son of actress Grey DeLisle and Jared Griffin
- Harlan Harris (b. 2016)
son of New Zealand rugby footballer Tohu Harris
- Harlan Veil Michelina Phillips
daughter of Instagramer @whatdreamsmaybecome
Harlan in pop culture
- Harlan Fairfax Carruthers
from the movie "Down in the Valley"
- Harlan Whitford
from the movie "Safe House"
- Harlan Wade
from the game "F.E.A.R."
- Harlan Jeeters
character from TV series "American Gothic"
- Harlan Carson
character from "The Walking Dead" (both comic and TV show)
- Earl Harlan
character from the podcast "Welcome to Night Vale"
- Harlan Puckett
Character in film "Thelma and Louise"
- Harlan County
Kentucky, USA, home of many country musicians
- Harlan Estate
Napa Valley cult wine producer
- Harlan Ogilvy
character in 2005 film "War of the Worlds"