Arlayne
A feminine name of English origin, a variant of Arlene, meaning "pledge" or "promise".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Arlayne. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Arlayne today is around 93 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Arlayne births was 1930 (25 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Arlayne. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Arlayne is about 93 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Arlaynes were born before 1943.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Arlayne. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1930
25 babies that year
Average age
93
years old
1937 SSA rank
#3,162
Tracked since 1924
Popularity
Arlayne: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Arlayne from the 1920s through to the 1930s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 63 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
Arlayne 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 Arlayne during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Arlaynes live
Origin
Meaning and history of Arlayne
The name Arlayne is a unique and intriguing moniker that has its roots in various cultures and linguistic traditions. Its origins can be traced back to the Old French language, where it is believed to have derived from the Germanic name "Arlinda." This name, in turn, is thought to have stemmed from the Old German words "ari" meaning "eagle" and "lind" meaning "soft" or "tender."
Another theory suggests that Arlayne may have its origins in the Celtic culture, particularly in regions of ancient Britain and Ireland. Some scholars propose that it could be a variation of the name "Arlene," which has roots in the Gaelic word "ard," meaning "high" or "exalted." This connection would imbue the name Arlayne with a sense of nobility and elevated status.
While the name Arlayne does not appear to have any direct references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it bears a striking resemblance to the name "Arlene," which has been documented in various historical records. One of the earliest recorded instances of this name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Arlayne, leaving their mark on various fields. One such figure was Arlayne Blickle (1906-1990), an American actress and singer who appeared in numerous Broadway productions and Hollywood films during the 1930s and 1940s. Another noteworthy Arlayne was Arlayne Hines (1919-2001), a pioneering African American journalist and civil rights activist who worked tirelessly to promote equality and social justice.
In the realm of literature, Arlayne Raith (1920-2005) was a renowned American author and educator who penned several critically acclaimed novels and short stories. Her works often explored themes of identity, family dynamics, and the complexities of human relationships.
The world of sports has also seen its share of Arlaynes, including Arlayne Klarr (born 1952), a former professional tennis player from the United States who achieved a career-high ranking of No. 9 in the world in 1979. Arlayne Reeves (born 1965) is another notable figure, a former Canadian track and field athlete who specialized in the heptathlon and represented her country at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.
While these individuals hailed from different backgrounds and pursued diverse paths, they all shared the distinctive name Arlayne, which has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the tapestry of human history.
People
Arlayne + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Arlayne 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
Arlayne: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Arlayne?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Arlayne 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Arlayne a common name?
We classify Arlayne as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 74 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Arlayne most popular?
The single biggest year for Arlayne was 1930, when 25 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Arlayne is about 93 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Arlayne a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Arlayne 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.