Total births
1,879
Unisex name · since 1886
Harlin
Harlin has 1,879 recorded births since 1886 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1924 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #4584
- among boys today
- 1,879
- born since 1886
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 68%
- more common than other boys
1,879 babies have been named Harlin since 1886, making it today's #4584 unisex name.
Harlin has 1,879 recorded births among boys since 1886, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #4584 as of the latest data, more common than 68% of boys, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1886 to 2025.
- #4584 among boys today
- 1,879 born since 1886
- 1920s peak decade
- 68% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Harlin is currently the #4584 unisex name in America, more common than 68% of boys - 1,879 born since 1886, peaking in the 1920s.
- #4584
- among boys today
- 1,879
- born since 1886
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 68%
- more common than other boys
Harlin vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4584
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 68% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
18% of everyone ever named Harlin was born in this single decade.
1924
Single peak year
45 babies were named Harlin in 1924 - its busiest year on record.
How Harlin compares
1,879 Top 22% higher than 78% 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
Harlin's all-time total is 5x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Harlin | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,879 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 45 | 23 | 22,252 |
Harlin's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Harlin's full recorded timeline at 1961, 35% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 65% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1886, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1924 peak of 45 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Harlin at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1924
Current rank
#4,584
Active since
1886
Harlin popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1886–2025
- Peak year (1924)
- 45
- Annual births at peak, across 140 years of records
Harlin popularity over time - girls
113 total births recorded since 1999 (Harlin as girls' name)
Harlin by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Harlin's strongest decade.
332 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Harlin births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 5
1880s
5 births
- 1900s 10
1900s
10 births
- 1910s
1910s
167 births
- 1920s
1920s
332 births
- 1930s
1930s
305 births
- 1940s
1940s
238 births
- 1950s
1950s
149 births
- 1960s 104
1960s
104 births
- 1970s 56
1970s
56 births
- 1980s 40
1980s
40 births
- 1990s 53
1990s
53 births
- 2000s 88
2000s
88 births
- 2010s
2010s
202 births
- 2020s 130
2020s
130 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 332 births (18% of all-time use).
How Harlin 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 Harlin's total volume
Harlin vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Harlin by state
Where Harlin concentrates geographically, total births since 1886
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Kentucky | | 33 | 1.8% |
| #2 | Arkansas | | 18 | 1.0% |
| #3 | Texas | | 11 | 0.6% |
| #4 | Missouri | | 10 | 0.5% |
| #5 | Alabama | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #6 | California | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #7 | New York | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #8 | Oklahoma | | 5 | 0.3% |
Kentucky share of Harlin's total US births 1.8%
Even split
33 of 1,879 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Harlin? ▼
1,879 babies have been named Harlin since 1886. It currently ranks #4584 among boys. The peak year was 1924 with 45 births.
When was Harlin most popular? ▼
Harlin was most popular in the 1920s decade with 332 total births. The single peak year was 1924.
Where is Harlin most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Harlin are Kentucky (33 births), Arkansas (18 births), Texas (11 births).
Is Harlin a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Harlin is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 1,879 births, and as a girl's name it has 113 births.
How long has the name Harlin been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Harlin since 1886 -- 140 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Harlin? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Harold, Harry, Harvey, Harrison, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Harlin's data
- Harlin's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (332 total births) through the 2020s (130) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Kentucky records the most Harlins (33 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Kentucky 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 Harlin
Nearby Names Like Harlin
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Harlin
Harold Boy
#988 551,632 births
Harry Boy
#775 423,866 births
Harvey Boy
#245 127,925 births
Harrison Boy
#121 99,138 births
Harley Boy
#1019 40,705 births
Compare Harlin side by side: Harlin vs Harold Harlin vs Harry Harlin vs Harvey
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Harlin
Lovell #4583
3,412 births · Peak 1916
Olan #4585
2,732 births · Peak 1920
Rosendo #4582
5,422 births · Peak 1993
Macon #4586
2,105 births · Peak 2015
Odell #4581
14,883 births · Peak 1922
Gennaro #4587
2,542 births · Peak 1926
Matthews #4580
1,605 births · Peak 1988
Chapman #4588
1,007 births · Peak 2014
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, 1886–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Harlin: #4584 Unisex Name - 1,879 Births, Peak 1924." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/harlin. 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 Harlin 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.