Total births
4,072
Unisex name · since 1910
Arlin
4,072 babies named Arlin in U.S. Social Security records since 1910, with the highest year being 1935. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #2426
- among boys today
- 4,072
- born since 1910
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 83%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Arlin is the #2426 most popular unisex name in the U.S. today, with 4,072 recorded since 1910.
Social Security Administration records show Arlin recorded 4,072 times among boys since 1910, holding rank #2426 nationally today, ahead of 83% of boys, peaking in the 1930s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1910 to 2025.
- #2426 among boys today
- 4,072 born since 1910
- 1930s peak decade
- 83% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Arlin is currently the #2426 unisex name in America, more common than 83% of boys - 4,072 born since 1910, peaking in the 1930s.
- #2426
- among boys today
- 4,072
- born since 1910
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 83%
- more common than other boys
Arlin vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2426
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 83% of names given to boys today.
1930s
Peak decade
18% of everyone ever named Arlin was born in this single decade.
1935
Single peak year
85 babies were named Arlin in 1935 - its busiest year on record.
How Arlin compares
4,072 Top 14% higher than 86% 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
Arlin's all-time total is 11x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Arlin | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 4,072 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 85 | 23 | 22,252 |
Arlin's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Arlin's full recorded timeline at 1968, 30% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 70% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1911, with just 6 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1935 peak of 85 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Arlin at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1935
Current rank
#2,426
Active since
1910
Arlin popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1910–2025
- Peak year (1935)
- 85
- Annual births at peak, across 116 years of records
Arlin popularity over time - girls
812 total births recorded since 1918 (Arlin as girls' name)
Arlin by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1930s was Arlin's strongest decade.
719 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Arlin births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 261
1910s
261 births
- 1920s
1920s
498 births
- 1930s
1930s
719 births
- 1940s
1940s
584 births
- 1950s
1950s
502 births
- 1960s
1960s
342 births
- 1970s 200
1970s
200 births
- 1980s 155
1980s
155 births
- 1990s 142
1990s
142 births
- 2000s 180
2000s
180 births
- 2010s 225
2010s
225 births
- 2020s 264
2020s
264 births
What this shows Peak: 1930s at 719 births (18% of all-time use).
How Arlin 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 Arlin's total volume
Arlin vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Arlin by state
Where Arlin concentrates geographically, total births since 1910
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Iowa | | 115 | 2.8% |
| #2 | Alabama | | 85 | 2.1% |
| #3 | Texas | | 78 | 1.9% |
| #4 | Minnesota | | 67 | 1.6% |
| #5 | Kentucky | | 43 | 1.1% |
| #6 | Wisconsin | | 41 | 1.0% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 37 | 0.9% |
| #8 | Tennessee | | 33 | 0.8% |
Iowa share of Arlin's total US births 2.8%
Even split
115 of 4,072 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 20 reporting states.
Arlin appears in 20 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Arlin? ▼
Since 1910, Social Security records show 4,072 babies named Arlin. Today it holds rank #2426 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1935, with 85 births.
When was Arlin most popular? ▼
Arlin was most popular in the 1930s decade with 719 total births. The single peak year was 1935.
Where is Arlin most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Arlin are Iowa (115 births), Alabama (85 births), Texas (78 births).
Is Arlin a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Arlin is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 4,072 births, and as a girl's name it has 812 births.
How long has the name Arlin been used? ▼
Arlin has been recorded in Social Security data since 1910, spanning 116 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Arlin? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Arlo, Arlen, Arlie, Arley, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Arlin's data
- Arlin's usage has stayed within range of its 1930s decade-level peak (719 total births) through the 2020s (264) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Iowa records the most Arlins (115 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Iowa 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 Arlin
Nearby Names Like Arlin
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Arlin
Arlo Boy
#146 24,245 births
Arlen Boy
#1692 7,345 births
Arlie Boy
#5070 6,712 births
Arley Boy
#2062 3,648 births
Arlan Boy
#2756 3,434 births
Compare Arlin side by side: Arlin vs Arlo Arlin vs Arlen Arlin vs Arlie
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Arlin
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, 1910–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Arlin: #2426 Unisex Name - 4,072 Births, Peak 1935." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/arlin. 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 Arlin 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.