UK boy's name
Arlin
Of Breton and French origin, a diminutive of the Germanic "Arlin" meaning "pledge or promise".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Arlin is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Arlin popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3523, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2023, with 5 births.
This profile covers 15 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 2019 to 2023. 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.
Arlin is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 15 living people in the UK are called Arlin. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Arlin ranked #3523 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2023, when 5 boys were registered as Arlin.
- • About 15 living people in the UK are estimated to have Arlin as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3523
2023
Births in 2023
5
Latest year
Peak year
2023
5 births
Estimated living
15
2026
Meaning
What does Arlin mean?
The name Arlin is believed to have originated from the Old Norse language, which was spoken by the Germanic peoples who inhabited Scandinavia and parts of northern Europe during the Viking Age (circa 800-1050 CE). The name is thought to be derived from the Old Norse word "arin," meaning "eagle" or "falcon."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Arlin can be found in the Icelandic Sagas, a collection of historical and mythological tales written in the 13th and 14th centuries. The name appears in the Saga of the Volsungs, where it is mentioned as the name of a minor character.
In the Middle Ages, the name Arlin was relatively uncommon, but it did appear occasionally in historical records from various parts of Europe. One notable figure who bore this name was Arlin of Rheims, a 12th-century French scholar and theologian who played a significant role in the intellectual and religious debates of his time.
As time passed, the name Arlin remained relatively obscure, but it did see some use in various regions of Europe. One notable bearer of the name was Arlin Schilling, a 16th-century German Protestant reformer and writer who was a contemporary of Martin Luther.
In the 19th century, the name Arlin gained some popularity in parts of the United States, particularly in the Midwest and Southern regions. One notable individual with this name was Arlin M. Adams, an American lawyer and judge who served as a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit from 1969 to 1987.
Another notable figure with the name Arlin was Arlin Pedrico Ortiz, a Puerto Rican baseball player who played in Major League Baseball during the 1960s and 1970s, primarily for the Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox.
While the name Arlin has never been extremely common, it has maintained a certain level of usage throughout history, particularly in parts of Europe and the United States. Its origins can be traced back to the Old Norse language and the Viking Age, and it has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, religious figures, athletes, and judges.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Arlin over time
The chart below shows babies named Arlin registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2019 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Arlin, the clearest high point is 2023. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2023, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arlin by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Arlin 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 | #4053 | 12 | 3 |
| 2010s | #4702 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Arlin
- 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
Arlin: questions and answers
How popular is the name Arlin in the UK right now?
In 2023, Arlin was ranked #3523 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Arlin most popular?
The peak year on record was 2023, with 5 babies registered as Arlin in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Arlin?
Of Breton and French origin, a diminutive of the Germanic "Arlin" meaning "pledge or promise".
How many people are called Arlin in the UK?
A total of 15 babies have been registered as Arlin across the 4 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.