Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street on the south. The greater Harlem area encompasses several other neighborhoods and extends west and north to 155th Street, east to the East River, and south to Martin Luther King Jr.
Meaning & Origin of Harlem
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street on the south. The greater Harlem area encompasses several other neighborhoods and extends west and north to 155th Street, east to the East River, and south to Martin Luther King Jr.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Origin & history
The Story of Harlem
As a girl name
Harlem first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2000, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2024, when 177 Harlems were born — ranking #1,298 that year. As of 2026, Harlem ranks #1,332 for girls with 170 births, rising sharply (+26% over the past five years). In total, more than 2K Harlems have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Harlem first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1975, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 254 Harlems were born — ranking #911 that year. As of 2026, Harlem ranks #998 for boys with 225 births, holding steady (+4%). In total, more than 4K Harlems have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Harlem
Phonetically similar names — useful when Harlem is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Harlem
What does the name Harlem mean?
How popular is Harlem in 2026?
When was Harlem most popular?
In which U.S. states is Harlem most popular?
Is Harlem a unisex name?
What names go well with Harlem?
About the name Harlem
Harlem is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1975 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Harlem's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #905. Use the chart and map above to compare Harlem's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2023 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "H" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.