Total births
3,434
Boys' name · since 1912
Arlan
3,434 babies named Arlan in U.S. Social Security records since 1912, with the highest year being 1936. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #2756
- among boys today
- 3,434
- born since 1912
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 81%
- more common than other boys
Arlan currently ranks #2756 among boys' names in America, with 3,434 babies recorded since 1912.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Arlan has been recorded 3,434 times among boys since 1912, currently ranked #2756 nationally and more common than 81% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1940s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1912 to 2025.
- #2756 among boys today
- 3,434 born since 1912
- 1940s peak decade
- 81% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Arlan is currently the #2756 boys' name in America, more common than 81% of boys - 3,434 born since 1912, peaking in the 1940s.
- #2756
- among boys today
- 3,434
- born since 1912
- 1940s
- peak decade
- 81%
- more common than other boys
Arlan vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2756
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 81% of names given to boys today.
1940s
Peak decade
18% of everyone ever named Arlan was born in this single decade.
1936
Single peak year
87 babies were named Arlan in 1936 - its busiest year on record.
How Arlan compares
3,434 Top 15% higher than 85% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Arlan's all-time total is 9x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Arlan | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,434 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 87 | 23 | 22,252 |
Arlan's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Arlan's SSA record in two at 1969 and the more recent half accounts for 31% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 69%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1995, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1936 peak of 87, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Arlan at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1936
Current rank
#2,756
Active since
1912
Arlan popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–2025
- Peak year (1936)
- 87
- Annual births at peak, across 114 years of records
Arlan by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1940s was Arlan's strongest decade.
606 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Arlan births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 90
1910s
90 births
- 1920s
1920s
264 births
- 1930s
1930s
604 births
- 1940s
1940s
606 births
- 1950s
1950s
517 births
- 1960s
1960s
309 births
- 1970s 169
1970s
169 births
- 1980s 122
1980s
122 births
- 1990s 104
1990s
104 births
- 2000s 134
2000s
134 births
- 2010s
2010s
245 births
- 2020s
2020s
270 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 606 births (18% of all-time use).
How Arlan compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Arlan's total volume
Arlan vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Arlan by state
Where Arlan concentrates geographically, total births since 1912
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 230 | 6.7% |
| #2 | Minnesota | | 184 | 5.4% |
| #3 | Iowa | | 110 | 3.2% |
| #4 | Wisconsin | | 105 | 3.1% |
| #5 | California | | 41 | 1.2% |
| #6 | Nebraska | | 38 | 1.1% |
| #7 | North Dakota | | 29 | 0.8% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 28 | 0.8% |
Pennsylvania share of Arlan's total US births 6.7%
Even split
230 of 3,434 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 15 reporting states.
Arlan appears in 15 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Arlan? ▼
3,434 babies have been named Arlan since 1912. It currently ranks #2756 among boys. The peak year was 1936 with 87 births.
When was Arlan most popular? ▼
Arlan was most popular in the 1940s decade with 606 total births. The single peak year was 1936.
Where is Arlan most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Arlan are Pennsylvania (230 births), Minnesota (184 births), Iowa (110 births).
How long has the name Arlan been used? ▼
Arlan has been recorded in Social Security data since 1912, spanning 114 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Arlan? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Arlo, Arlen, Arlie, Arlin, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Arlan's data
- Arlan's usage has stayed within range of its 1940s decade-level peak (606 total births) through the 2020s (270) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Pennsylvania records the most Arlans (230 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Arlan
Nearby Names Like Arlan
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Arlan
Arlo Boy
#146 24,245 births
Arlen Boy
#1692 7,345 births
Arlie Boy
#5070 6,712 births
Arlin Boy
#2426 4,072 births
Arley Boy
#2062 3,648 births
Compare Arlan side by side: Arlan vs Arlo Arlan vs Arlen Arlan vs Arlie
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Arlan
Geno #2755
3,725 births · Peak 2023
Marlowe #2757
1,662 births · Peak 2024
Pearson #2754
1,552 births · Peak 2019
Nicolo #2758
1,571 births · Peak 2024
Pascal #2753
2,550 births · Peak 2024
Kazimir #2759
344 births · Peak 2024
Galen #2752
16,500 births · Peak 1949
Rickey #2760
61,717 births · Peak 1958
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1912–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Arlan: #2756 Boys' Name - 3,434 Births, Peak 1936." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/arlan. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Arlan draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.