Harlow
Harlow is a given name of English origin, a transferred use of a surname and place name meaning "rock hill" or "army hill." Spelling variants Harlo and Harlowe are also in use.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Harlow
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Harlow is a given name of English origin, a transferred use of a surname and place name meaning "rock hill" or "army hill." Spelling variants Harlo and Harlowe are also in use.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Harlow
As a girl name
American parents first put Harlow on the record books as a girl name in 2002, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 1,278 Harlows were born — ranking #237 that year. About 53% of every Harlow on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Harlow ranks #271 for girls with 1,186 births, rising sharply (+20% over the past five years). All told, over 15K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2000s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Harlow on the record books as a boy name in 1882, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 204 Harlows were born — ranking #1,071 that year. About 36% of every Harlow on record arrived during the 2020s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Harlow ranks #1,071 for boys with 204 births, rising sharply (+227% over the past five years). All told, over 3K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Harlow
Phonetically similar names — useful when Harlow 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 Harlow
What does the name Harlow mean?
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How popular is Harlow in 2026?
When was Harlow most popular?
In which U.S. states is Harlow most popular?
Is Harlow a unisex name?
What names go well with Harlow?
About the name Harlow
Harlow is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2002 and has accumulated 15K births in the dataset. Harlow's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #237. Use the chart and map above to compare Harlow's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2021 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "H" →
- Browse all girl 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.