Girls' name · since 1900

Arletha

1,640 babies named Arletha in U.S. Social Security records since 1900, with the highest year being 1963. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.

1,640
total births
1900–1993
years on record
1960s
peak decade
19%
born in that decade

Arletha sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 1,640 recorded since 1900.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Arletha has been recorded 1,640 times among girls since 1900, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1960s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1900 to 1993.

  • 1,640 total births
  • 1900–1993 years on record
  • 1960s peak decade
  • 19% born in that decade

Data updated Jul 2026

The verdict

1,640 girls have been named Arletha since 1900, peaking in the 1960s, last recorded in 1993.

1,640
total births
1900–1993
years on record
1960s
peak decade
19%
born in that decade
1960s
Peak decade

19% of everyone ever named Arletha was born in this single decade.

1963
Single peak year

40 babies were named Arletha in 1963 - its busiest year on record.

Arletha's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Arletha splits its recorded history at 1947: 56% of all births land in the more recent half, 44% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1900 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1963 peak of 40 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.

Arletha at a glance

Last recorded 1993

Total births

1,640

Since 1900

94 years of records

Peak year

1963

40 births that year

Strongest decade: 1960s

Current rank

Unranked

Outside the modern top-1,000

As of 1993

Active since

1900

Recorded for 94 years

Last year on file: 1993

Arletha popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1900–1993

Last recorded 1993
Peak year (1963)
40
Annual births at peak, across 94 years of records
01020304050 190019171928193919501961197219841993 7

Arletha by decade

Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance

1960s was Arletha's strongest decade.

318 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 19% of all-time use.

Arletha births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1960s at 318 births (19% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of July 2026

How Arletha compares to similarly-sized names

Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Arletha's total volume

Arletha vs 15 similarly-sized girls names

Arletha vs 15 similarly-sized girls names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 2%4%6%8%10% 050100150 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year Arletha
Arletha vs 15 similarly-sized girls names

Arletha by state

Where Arletha concentrates geographically, total births since 1900

Geographically diffuse
Top 7 states by recorded births for the name Arletha
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 North Carolina
131 8.0%
#2 Mississippi
37 2.3%
#3 Illinois
22 1.3%
#4 Florida
14 0.9%
#5 Georgia
11 0.7%
#6 Arkansas
5 0.3%
#7 Texas
5 0.3%
North Carolina share of Arletha's total US births 8.0%
Even split

131 of 1,640 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Arletha?
Since 1900, Social Security records show 1,640 babies named Arletha. The most recent recorded year was 1993. Its busiest year on record was 1963, with 40 births.
When was Arletha most popular?
Arletha was most popular in the 1960s decade with 318 total births. The single peak year was 1963.
Where is Arletha most popular?
The top states for the name Arletha are North Carolina (131 births), Mississippi (37 births), Illinois (22 births).
How long has the name Arletha been used?
The SSA has tracked Arletha since 1900 -- 94 years through the most recent 1993 data.
What names are similar to Arletha?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Arlene, Arline, Arleen, Arlette, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.

What to do with Arletha's data

  • Arletha's decade-level peak was the 1960s (318 total births); usage has since declined to 12 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • North Carolina records the most Arlethas (131 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina 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.

Data Sources

Data as of July 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, 1900–1993 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Cite this page

NameAlmanac Editorial. "Arletha: Baby Name Since 1900 - 1,640 Births, Peak 1963." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/arletha. 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 Arletha 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 July 2026.