Arlo
Arlo is a boys' name of English origin meaning “a hill in Spenser's Faerie Queene.” It ranked #148 in the United States in 2025.
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how do you pronounce Arlo?
AR-loh
where does the name Arlo come from?
Arlo was apparently invented by the poet Edmund Spenser as the name of a hill where the gods hold a debate in his poem The Faerie Queene.
Arlo first appears in Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene, where Arlo Hill is the place the gods gather to debate; Spenser seems to have invented it. The folk singer Arlo Guthrie later popularized the name, and it has become a modern favorite for its warm, approachable two-syllable sound.
how popular is this name?
Arlo has appeared in the US top 1,000 in 50 years since 1900, and fell outside it for 76. It peaked at #146 in 2024, and ranked #148 in 2025.
See the milestone years
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #148 |
| 2024 | #146 |
| 2023 | #158 |
| 2022 | #169 |
| 2021 | #190 |
| 2020 | #220 |
| 2019 | #271 |
| 2018 | #277 |
| 2017 | #316 |
| 2016 | #349 |
| 1940 | #904 |
| 1930 | #832 |
| 1920 | #718 |
| 1910 | #859 |
| 1900 | #902 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset (through 2025). Years absent from the table are years Arlo fell outside the top 1,000.
the history of Arlo
Its first recorded use is literary: Spenser coined it for that hill in the sixteenth century, before it was used as a given name for people.
who are famous people named Arlo?
- Arlo Guthrie (folk singer)
- Arlo Parks (British singer-songwriter)
- Arlo (Pixar's The Good Dinosaur)
what names are similar to Arlo?
what names go well with Arlo?
Sibling names that share Arlo's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
quick answers about Arlo
What does the name Arlo mean?
Arlo means “a hill in Spenser's Faerie Queene”.
What is the origin of the name Arlo?
Arlo comes from the English naming tradition.
How popular is the name Arlo?
Arlo ranked #148 in the US in 2025, according to Social Security data. Its best year was 2024, at #146, and it has spent 50 years in the top 1,000 since 1900.
Is Arlo a boy or girl name?
Arlo is primarily a boys' name.
How do you pronounce Arlo?
Arlo is pronounced AR-loh, with 2 syllables.
Last updated · Curated by HushName editorial
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