Girl · #14,326 in 2026

Harlequin

Harlequin is the best-known of the comic servant characters (Zanni) from the Italian commedia dell'arte, associated with the city of Bergamo. The role is traditionally believed to have been introduced by the Italian actor-manager Zan Ganassa in the late 16th century,.

  • Theatre
Current Rank
#14,326
Peak Rank
#13,149 (2013)
Total Babies
41
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2009
First Year
2016
Last Year
2013
Peak Year
#13149
Peak Rank
41
Total Count
7
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Harlequin

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Harlequin is the best-known of the comic servant characters (Zanni) from the Italian commedia dell'arte, associated with the city of Bergamo. The role is traditionally believed to have been introduced by the Italian actor-manager Zan Ganassa in the late 16th century,.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Theatre
Origin & history
A scene from the commedia dell'arte played in France before a noble audience in 1571 or 1572 (Museum of Bayeux ). Pantalone is front and center, while just to the right and slightly behind is Harlequin in motley costume, "the oldest known version of Harlequin's costume". The re-interpretation of the "devil" stock character as a Zanni character of the commedia dell'arte took place in the 16th century in France. Zan Ganassa , whose troupe is first mentioned in Mantua in the late 1560s, is one of the earliest known actors suggested to have performed the part, although there is "little hard eviden

The Story of Harlequin

American parents first put Harlequin on the record books as a baby girl name in 2009, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2013, when 7 Harlequins were born — ranking #13,149 that year. About 85% of every Harlequin on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. Harlequin last appeared in the published SSA data in 2016, with 6 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 41 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2000s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
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WI
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NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
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OH
PA
NJ
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RI
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MD
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Top 10
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No data

Variants & Related Forms of Harlequin

Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Harlequin. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Arlecchino
  • Arlequin

Names that sound like Harlequin

Phonetically similar names — useful when Harlequin is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

  • Harlequins
  • Harlekin
  • Arlequin
  • Harlequinade
  • Harlingen
  • Holloween
  • Polokwane
  • Horrigan
  • Halloween
  • Haloween
  • Harken
  • Hearken

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Harlequin

What does the name Harlequin mean?
Harlequin is the best-known of the comic servant characters (Zanni) from the Italian commedia dell'arte, associated with the city of Bergamo. The role is traditionally believed to have been introduced by the Italian actor-manager Zan Ganassa in the late 16th century,.
What is the origin of the name Harlequin?
Harlequin has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Theatre.
How popular is Harlequin in 2026?
In 2026, Harlequin ranks #14,326 among girls' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.
When was Harlequin most popular?
Harlequin reached its peak popularity in 2013, ranking #13,149 that year with 7 babies given the name.
Is Harlequin a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Harlequin is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Harlequin?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Harlequin include Olyve, Lilien, Larke. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.
What are nicknames or variants of Harlequin?
Common variants and related forms of Harlequin include Arlecchino, Arlequin. These cover foreign-language equivalents, alternate spellings, and short forms.

Similar Names

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Olyve
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Lilien
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Larke
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Neeli
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Neeti
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Rozalin
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Vidhya
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About the name Harlequin

Harlequin is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2009 and has accumulated 41 births in the dataset. Harlequin's peak popularity came in 2013 when it ranked #13,149. Use the chart and map above to compare Harlequin's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.