Harlow
Boy name · #1212 in 2025 · Uniqueness 35/100
Harlow ranks #1212 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 167 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #4179, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 10,778 boys born in 2025 was named Harlow.
The 143-year story
Harlow first appears in the Social Security records in 1882, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 182 babies and a rank of #1149. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Harlow per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Harlow against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Harlow in class?
Harlow scores 35 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Harlow is most common
Geography matters for names, and Harlow is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Harlows were CA (15), TX (12), MI (10), MO (9), OH (8). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Harlow
Statistically, parents drawn to Harlow tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Arlow, Winslow, Huxton, Haze, and Marlow.
ArlowWinslowHuxtonHazeMarlowRipleyHudsynJahseh
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Harlow | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 167 | #1212 |
| 2024 | 159 | #1243 |
| 2023 | 182 | #1149 |
| 2022 | 166 | #1200 |
| 2021 | 86 | #1815 |
| 2020 | 61 | #2235 |
| 2019 | 45 | #2766 |
| 2018 | 46 | #2674 |
| 2017 | 38 | #3071 |
| 2016 | 35 | #3230 |
| 2015 | 24 | #4179 |
| 2014 | 35 | #3154 |
| 2013 | 31 | #3405 |
| 2012 | 33 | #3297 |
| 2011 | 13 | #6256 |
| 2010 | 21 | #4517 |
| 2009 | 18 | #5102 |
| 2008 | 10 | #7698 |
| 2006 | 9 | #7998 |
| 2003 | 6 | #9581 |
| 1995 | 5 | #8868 |
| 1991 | 5 | #8236 |
| 1988 | 5 | #7270 |
| 1977 | 5 | #5845 |
| 1976 | 7 | #4418 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Harlow a popular boy name?
Harlow ranked #1212 among boys in 2025 with 167 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4179.
When was the name Harlow most popular?
Harlow peaked in 2023, when 182 American boys received the name (ranked #1149 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Harlow?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 10,778 newborn American boys was named Harlow. It scores 35/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.