Arlene is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Arlene means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Arlene across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Arlene has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Arlene is a girl name of Irish origin meaning “pledge or oath”. A name possibly from Irish Orfhlaith, or a feminine coinage.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 143,371 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 29 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 1,035 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 483 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Arlene per year, United States (1888 to 2025). United States peaked in 1934 (3,930/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (87/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1984 (39/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2015 (5/yr).
Arlene has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1934, when it ranked #104 nationally (given to 3,930 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1930s.
Arline · Earline · Arleen · Earlene · Arlen · Arlan · Arlin · Earlean
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