Harlem is a unisex name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Harlem means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Harlem across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Harlem has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Harlem is a unisex name of Dutch origin meaning “home on the forested dune”. A place name after the New York neighborhood, from Dutch Haarlem.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 5,182 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 289 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 Harlem per year, United States (1975 to 2025). United States peaked in 2023 (409/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2020 (23/yr).
Harlem is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2023, when it ranked #1,360 nationally (given to 421 babies that year).
Harlym · Harleymae · Harley-Mae · Harlee-Mae · Harley-May · Harlie-Mae · Harley-Mai
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