boy's name
Harlan
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 28,478
the United States
#617
2025 births
Harlan is a boy's name with 2 syllables. In 2025 it was given to 490 babies in the United States, ranking #617. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
- Peaked in 1924, when 519 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 6,766 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Harlan over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 106 |
| 1890s | 137 |
| 1900s | 258 |
| 1910s | 2,012 |
| 1920s | 4,184 |
| 1930s | 3,891 |
| 1940s | 3,269 |
| 1950s | 2,720 |
| 1960s | 1,824 |
| 1970s | 965 |
| 1980s | 733 |
| 1990s | 683 |
| 2000s | 871 |
| 2010s | 2,642 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 2,685 |
How popular is Harlan?
In 2025, Harlan was given to 490 babies in the United States, ranking #617 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Harlan is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Harlan
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Harlan also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Harlan over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Sibling names for Harlan
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Harlan — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Harlan
How popular is the name Harlan?
In 2025, Harlan was given to 490 babies in the United States, ranking #617 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Harlan a girl's or a boy's name?
Harlan is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Harlan?
Harlan has 2 syllables.
When was Harlan most popular?
Harlan peaked in 1924, when 519 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Harlan a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Harlan currently ranks #474 in the United States. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.