Total births
1,124
Girls' name · since 1915
Harlene
Since 1915, U.S. Social Security records show 1,124 babies named Harlene, peaking in 1937. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 1,124
- total births
- 1915–2025
- years on record
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 38%
- born in that decade
Harlene is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 1,124 have been recorded since 1915.
Social Security Administration records show Harlene recorded 1,124 times among girls since 1915, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, 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 1915 to 2025.
- 1,124 total births
- 1915–2025 years on record
- 1930s peak decade
- 38% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
1,124 girls have been named Harlene since 1915, peaking in the 1930s, last recorded in 2025.
- 1,124
- total births
- 1915–2025
- years on record
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 38%
- born in that decade
1930s
Peak decade
38% of everyone ever named Harlene was born in this single decade.
1937
Single peak year
81 babies were named Harlene in 1937 - its busiest year on record.
Harlene's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Harlene splits its recorded history at 1949: 27% of all births land in the more recent half, 73% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1965 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1937 peak of 81 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Harlene at a glance
Last recorded 2025Peak year
1937
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1915
Harlene popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–2025
- Peak year (1937)
- 81
- Annual births at peak, across 111 years of records
Harlene by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1930s was Harlene's strongest decade.
422 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 38% of all-time use.
Harlene births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 23
1910s
23 births
- 1920s 46
1920s
46 births
- 1930s
1930s
422 births
- 1940s
1940s
348 births
- 1950s 159
1950s
159 births
- 1960s 67
1960s
67 births
- 1970s 34
1970s
34 births
- 2000s 5
2000s
5 births
- 2010s 10
2010s
10 births
- 2020s 10
2020s
10 births
What this shows Peak: 1930s at 422 births (38% of all-time use).
How Harlene 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 Harlene's total volume
Harlene vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Harlene by state
Where Harlene concentrates geographically, total births since 1915
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 93 | 8.3% |
| #2 | Illinois | | 63 | 5.6% |
| #3 | New York | | 32 | 2.8% |
| #4 | Michigan | | 15 | 1.3% |
| #5 | Ohio | | 14 | 1.2% |
| #6 | Oklahoma | | 11 | 1.0% |
| #7 | Arkansas | | 6 | 0.5% |
| #8 | Missouri | | 6 | 0.5% |
California share of Harlene's total US births 8.3%
Even split
93 of 1,124 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Harlene? ▼
Since 1915, Social Security records show 1,124 babies named Harlene. The most recent recorded year was 2025. Its busiest year on record was 1937, with 81 births.
When was Harlene most popular? ▼
Harlene was most popular in the 1930s decade with 422 total births. The single peak year was 1937.
Where is Harlene most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Harlene are California (93 births), Illinois (63 births), New York (32 births).
How long has the name Harlene been used? ▼
Harlene has been recorded in Social Security data since 1915, spanning 111 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Harlene? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Harper, Harriet, Harmony, Harley, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Harlene's data
- Harlene's decade-level peak was the 1930s (422 total births); usage has since declined to 10 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Harlenes (93 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Harlene
Nearby Names Like Harlene
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Harlene
Harper Girl
#12 139,063 births
Harriet Girl
#1149 90,306 births
Harmony Girl
#264 36,226 births
Harley Girl
#396 31,167 births
Harriett Girl
#11124 21,621 births
Compare Harlene side by side: Harlene vs Harper Harlene vs Harriet Harlene vs Harmony
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1915–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Harlene: Baby Name Since 1915 - 1,124 Births, Peak 1937." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/harlene. 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 Harlene 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.