UK boy's name
Arlan
A masculine name of Turkish origin meaning "lion".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Arlan is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Arlan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2443, with 9 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 9 births.
This profile covers 104 England and Wales registrations across 17 recorded years from 2008 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 103 living people in the UK are called Arlan. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Arlan ranked #2443 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 9 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2022, when 9 boys were registered as Arlan.
- • About 103 living people in the UK are estimated to have Arlan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2443
2024
Births in 2024
9
Latest year
Peak year
2022
9 births
Estimated living
103
2026
Meaning
What does Arlan mean?
The name Arlan is believed to have originated from the Old English language, with its roots dating back to the 5th century AD. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "ær," meaning "honor," and "land," meaning "land" or "estate." Thus, the name Arlan could be interpreted as "honorable landowner" or "esteemed estate."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Arlan can be found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, which documents the history of the Anglo-Saxons in Britain. The name appears in an entry from the year 612 AD, referring to a nobleman named Arlan of Northumbria.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Arlan was primarily used by the nobility and landed gentry in England. Several historical figures bore this name, including Arlan of Mercia (c. 750 AD), a prominent nobleman and advisor to King Offa of Mercia. Another notable figure was Arlan the Scribe (c. 980 AD), a renowned monk and calligrapher who produced exquisite illuminated manuscripts for monasteries in Wessex.
During the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, the name Arlan became less common as Norman French names gained prominence among the ruling class. However, it remained in use among the Anglo-Saxon population, particularly in rural areas.
In the 13th century, a notable bearer of the name was Arlan FitzWilliam (c. 1220 AD), a wealthy landowner and benefactor who funded the construction of several churches and monasteries in Yorkshire, England. Another prominent figure was Sir Arlan de Warenne (c. 1280 AD), a skilled knight and military commander who served under King Edward I during the Welsh Wars.
In more recent history, Arlan Coulter (1898-1976) was a respected American journalist and author who wrote extensively about the American West and was known for his vivid descriptions of frontier life.
While the name Arlan has fallen out of common use in modern times, it remains a unique and historically significant name with deep roots in the Anglo-Saxon tradition, reflecting the values of honor, nobility, and land ownership.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Arlan over time
The chart below shows babies named Arlan registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Arlan, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 9 births in 2024, compared with 9 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arlan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Arlan was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #2633 | 39 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3186 | 57 | 10 |
| 2000s | #3830 | 8 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Arlan
- Alfie 86,546
- Alexander 85,525
- Adam 71,855
- Archie 59,965
- Arthur 43,586
- Aaron 36,366
- Alex 32,729
- Andrew 20,169
- Arlo 19,061
- Aidan 16,776
- Albie 16,017
- Albert 15,809
FAQ
Arlan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Arlan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Arlan was ranked #2443 for boys in England and Wales, with 9 births registered.
When was Arlan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2022, with 9 babies registered as Arlan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Arlan?
A masculine name of Turkish origin meaning "lion".
How many people are called Arlan in the UK?
A total of 104 babies have been registered as Arlan across the 17 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.