Baby Name of the Day: Arlo

The baby name Arlo blends a cool, current sound with an intriguing backstory.

Thanks to JNE and Christina for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE BABY NAME ARLO MEAN?

The origins of the baby name Arlo are subject to much debate.

Here’s a list of contenders:

• It could come from the Italian form of Charles, Carlo.
• Some suggest that the name was once a Spanish word for barberry trees. El bérbero seems to be the preferred Spanish word, at least now.
• It might be a a form of the English surname Harlow, which may mean fortified hill.
• Speaking of hills, in Edmund Spenser’s The Faerie Queene,Arlo Hill is “the best and fairest hill” and is surrounded by “faire forrests.” Scholars believe Spenser was inspired by a real location, possibly Ireland’s Glen of Aherlow. It’s also sometimes spelled Arlow.

One more twist: American author and newspaperman Arlo Bates may be among the earliest Arlos. His name was invented in keeping with a family custom. His father, Niran, also had a name invented by his dad. Arlo called his son Oric.

AMERICANA FOLK SINGER

For many years, American folk singer-songwriter Arlo Guthrie remained the best known bearer of the name.

Tune into many a radio station on Thanksgiving Day, and you’ll hear Guthrie’s famous 1967 hit “Alice’s Restaurant.” The song lasts for 18 minutes, 34 seconds. It’s more cultural touchstone than actual hit record. 

And it meant that the baby name Arlo never quite left our radar – even when no one was choosing it for their children.

Fun fact: starting in 1985, Jimmy Johnson’s comic strip Arlo and Janis ran in newspapers. Johnson took the couple’s names from Arlo Guthrie and fellow 1960s singer Janis Joplin.

BOY NAMES ENDING WITH O

By the year 2000, boy names ending in o were starting to sound quite stylish. 

Leo leapt up the charts. Matteo and Mateo were gaining. More names joined the list with every passing year – Milo and Theodore, nickname Theo, were two to catch on early days, not counting romance language choices like Antonio and Leonardo.

POP CULTURE ARLOS

While the baby name Arlo’s revival owes much to sound and style, pop culture played a part, too.

The 2015 Disney Pixar movie The Good Dinosaur introduced us to an apatosaurus. His name? Arlo. He befriends a lost caveboy – called Spot. They rescue each other.

As Disney Pixar movies go, it wasn’t the biggest hit. And yet, it likely contributed to the success of the baby name Arlo.

But another, darker use of the name came first.

In 2010, we met a tough-as-nails Vietnam vet turned criminal named Arlo on FX’s Justified.  He was the father of main character Raylan Givens. While Raylan served as a deputy US Marshal, his dad has always been on the wrong side of the law.

The series was a success, earning critical accolades over six seasons, ending in 2015.

Characters have also worn the name on a later season of Fox’s 24, and a handful of other shows, too.

Chances are some combination of these references made parents take notice – more than the epic poem of yesteryear.

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME ARLO?

The baby name Arlo first appeared in the US Top 1000 in the year 1900.

From 1912 to 1944, it ranked every year before heading towards obscurity.

Between the 1960s and 90s, the name was given to around two dozens boys a year.

After over six decades in near-hibernation, the baby name Arlo returned to the US Top 1000. 

The name ranked #915 in 2011. It’s powered up the charts since then, reaching #500 in 2015 and #220 as of 2020. In 2024, it ranked #146, an all-time high.

In fact, today Arlo feels like a solidly popular name. It fits right with Asher and Noah, Isla and Olivia.

It’s risen in use as first name elsewhere in the English-speaking world, too, including throughout the UK, and in Australia and New Zealand, too. 

ARLO AS A GIRL’S NAME

Along the way, there’s been a tiny uptick in usage for girls. Some of that is down to Arlo Parks, a London-born singer. The British musician was born Anaïs Oluwatoyin Estelle Marinho.

Even before Parks, some girls received the name. SSA records count 83 girls named Arlo in 2024. But for the most part, similar names like Marlowe are more popular for girls while Arlo reamins overwhelmingly used for boys.

COOL, CAPABLE ARLO

A folk singer and a few fictional characters have boosted the baby name Arlo over the years. But today, Arlo makes the top baby names list on sound, a compelling blend of traditional Arthur and vibrant O-ending picks.

It’s a name for a poet or an X Games athlete. Possibly both. Arlo sounds capable, a homespun name that offers quiet confidence.

It’s easy to see why the baby name Arlo continues to gain in use, the perfect choice for families seeking something creative and cool but substantial, too.

What do you think of the baby name Arlo?

First published on January 31, 2009, this post was substantially revised and re-posted on February 1, 2016; May 15, 2021; and June 23, 2025.