Total births
1,858
Boys' name · since 1910
Harlon
Harlon has 1,858 recorded births since 1910 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1939 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #9037
- among boys today
- 1,858
- born since 1910
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 37%
- more common than other boys
1,858 babies have been named Harlon since 1910, making it today's #9037 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Harlon recorded 1,858 times among boys since 1910, holding rank #9037 nationally today, ahead of 37% 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.
- #9037 among boys today
- 1,858 born since 1910
- 1930s peak decade
- 37% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Harlon is currently the #9037 boys' name in America, more common than 37% of boys - 1,858 born since 1910, peaking in the 1930s.
- #9037
- among boys today
- 1,858
- born since 1910
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 37%
- more common than other boys
Harlon vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9037
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 37% of names given to boys today.
1930s
Peak decade
18% of everyone ever named Harlon was born in this single decade.
1939
Single peak year
44 babies were named Harlon in 1939 - its busiest year on record.
How Harlon compares
1,858 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
Harlon's all-time total is 5x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Harlon | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,858 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 44 | 23 | 22,252 |
Harlon's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Harlon's SSA record in two at 1963 and the more recent half accounts for 28% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 72%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1976, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1939 peak of 44, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Harlon at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1939
Current rank
#9,037
Active since
1910
Harlon popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1910–2025
- Peak year (1939)
- 44
- Annual births at peak, across 116 years of records
Harlon by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1930s was Harlon's strongest decade.
326 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Harlon births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s
1910s
157 births
- 1920s
1920s
279 births
- 1930s
1930s
326 births
- 1940s
1940s
282 births
- 1950s
1950s
236 births
- 1960s
1960s
147 births
- 1970s 73
1970s
73 births
- 1980s 47
1980s
47 births
- 1990s 35
1990s
35 births
- 2000s 61
2000s
61 births
- 2010s
2010s
140 births
- 2020s 75
2020s
75 births
What this shows Peak: 1930s at 326 births (18% of all-time use).
How Harlon 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 Harlon's total volume
Harlon vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Harlon by state
Where Harlon concentrates geographically, total births since 1910
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 92 | 5.0% |
| #2 | Alabama | | 47 | 2.5% |
| #3 | Tennessee | | 34 | 1.8% |
| #4 | Arkansas | | 32 | 1.7% |
| #5 | Mississippi | | 16 | 0.9% |
| #6 | Kentucky | | 11 | 0.6% |
| #7 | Oklahoma | | 10 | 0.5% |
| #8 | Florida | | 5 | 0.3% |
Texas share of Harlon's total US births 5.0%
Even split
92 of 1,858 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Harlon? ▼
Since 1910, Social Security records show 1,858 babies named Harlon. Today it holds rank #9037 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1939, with 44 births.
When was Harlon most popular? ▼
Harlon was most popular in the 1930s decade with 326 total births. The single peak year was 1939.
Where is Harlon most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Harlon are Texas (92 births), Alabama (47 births), Tennessee (34 births).
How long has the name Harlon been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Harlon since 1910 -- 116 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Harlon? ▼
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 Harlon's data
- Harlon's decade-level peak was the 1930s (326 total births); usage has since declined to 75 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Harlons (92 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Harlon
Nearby Names Like Harlon
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Harlon
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 Harlon side by side: Harlon vs Harold Harlon vs Harry Harlon vs Harvey
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Harlon
Cosme #9036
1,373 births · Peak 2000
Ventura #9038
1,301 births · Peak 1938
Nunzio #9035
1,838 births · Peak 1923
Kiyoshi #9039
1,226 births · Peak 1923
Lancelot #9034
638 births · Peak 1984
Ralston #9040
931 births · Peak 1921
Allyn #9033
3,223 births · Peak 1946
Renard #9041
2,690 births · Peak 1970
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. "Harlon: #9037 Boys' Name - 1,858 Births, Peak 1939." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/harlon. 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 Harlon 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.