UK boy's name
Arlow
Of English origin meaning "muddy hill".
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.
Arlow is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Arlow 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 2020, with 16 births.
This profile covers 113 England and Wales registrations across 15 recorded years from 2010 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 56% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 115 living people in the UK are called Arlow. 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
- • Arlow ranked #2443 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 9 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2020, when 16 boys were registered as Arlow.
- • Arlow ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #728 in 2023.
- • About 115 living people in the UK are estimated to have Arlow 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
2020
16 births
Estimated living
115
2026
Meaning
What does Arlow mean?
The name Arlow is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "ærn" meaning "house" and "hlaw" meaning "hill" or "mound". It was initially used as a surname, referring to someone who lived on a hill near a house or settlement.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Arlow dates back to the 13th century, when it appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, England, in 1272. This historical record lists individuals responsible for paying taxes, suggesting that someone with the surname Arlow resided in the region during that time.
In the 16th century, the name Arlow gained recognition through Sir John Arlow, an English military commander who served under King Henry VIII. Sir John Arlow played a crucial role in the siege of Boulogne during the Italian War of 1542-1546, and his exploits were recorded in various historical accounts of the time.
Another notable figure bearing the name Arlow was Thomas Arlow, a 17th-century English mathematician and astronomer. Born in 1639, Arlow made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics, and his works were widely studied and referenced by scholars of his era.
In the 19th century, the name Arlow was associated with William Arlow, a British landscape painter renowned for his vivid depictions of rural scenes. Born in 1786, Arlow's artworks were exhibited at the Royal Academy and are now part of various museum collections across the United Kingdom.
Moving into the 20th century, one of the most well-known individuals named Arlow was Walter Arlow, an American jazz pianist and composer. Born in 1920, Arlow was a prominent figure in the New York City jazz scene and collaborated with several renowned musicians, including Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker.
While the name Arlow has its roots in Old English, it has been used across various cultures and regions over the centuries. From military commanders to artists and musicians, the name has left its mark on history, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who have borne it.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Arlow over time
The chart below shows babies named Arlow registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2010 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 Arlow, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 9 births in 2024, compared with 16 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arlow by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Arlow 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 | #1945 | 61 | 5 |
| 2010s | #3583 | 52 | 10 |
Geography
Where Arlow is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Arlow. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Arlow ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #728 in 2023.
Across the UK
Arlow in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#728 in 2023
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Arlow
- 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
Arlow: questions and answers
How popular is the name Arlow in the UK right now?
In 2024, Arlow was ranked #2443 for boys in England and Wales, with 9 births registered.
When was Arlow most popular?
The peak year on record was 2020, with 16 babies registered as Arlow in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Arlow?
Of English origin meaning "muddy hill".
How many people are called Arlow in the UK?
A total of 113 babies have been registered as Arlow across the 15 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Arlow most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Arlow ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #728 in 2023. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.