Arelys
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from Latin or Greek elements.
Name Census estimates that about 504 living Americans carry the first name Arelys. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Arelys today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Arelys births was 2023 (69 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Arelys. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
504
~ 1 in 680,068 Americans
Peak year
2023
69 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,269
Tracked since 1978
Popularity
Arelys: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Arelys from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 135 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arelys by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Arelys during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Arelys' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. California, Florida, Illinois recorded the most babies named Arelys, while New York, Texas, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 18 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Arelys
The name Arelys is believed to have originated from the Greek language, with its roots traced back to ancient times. The earliest known form of the name was "Arelis," which was derived from the Greek word "arelos," meaning "pure" or "virtuous."
In ancient Greek mythology, Arelis was a minor goddess associated with purity and virtue. While there are no specific historical records or texts that mention the name directly, its linguistic origins and symbolic meaning suggest that it may have been used as a personal name during the classical Greek period.
The first recorded instances of the name Arelys can be found in medieval Europe, where it was likely introduced by scholars and travelers familiar with Greek culture and language. One of the earliest known individuals with this name was Arelys de Montfort, a noblewoman who lived in France during the 13th century.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Arelys. One such individual was Arelys de Valois (1330-1389), a French princess and daughter of King Philip VI. Another was Arelys de Navarre (1472-1522), a Spanish noblewoman and courtier at the court of Ferdinand II of Aragon.
In the literary world, Arelys was the name of a character in the 16th-century Spanish novel "La Celestina" by Fernando de Rojas. This work is considered one of the earliest examples of Renaissance literature and played a significant role in the development of the Spanish language.
Another notable figure was Arelys de Bourbon (1589-1631), a French princess and member of the House of Bourbon. She was known for her involvement in the religious and political conflicts of her time, particularly during the French Wars of Religion.
In more recent times, Arelys Henao (born 1980) is a Colombian model and actress who has appeared in numerous television shows and films in Latin America. While not a historical figure, her prominence in the entertainment industry has contributed to the popularity and recognition of the name Arelys in modern times.
People
Arelys + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Arelys as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Arelys: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Arelys?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 504 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Arelys going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 680,068 US residents.
Is Arelys a common name?
We classify Arelys as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 515 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Arelys most popular?
The single biggest year for Arelys was 2023, when 69 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Arelys is about 20 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Arelys a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Arelys in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.