Arlee
A diminutive form of the name Arlene meaning "little tawny one".
Name Census estimates that about 870 living Americans carry the first name Arlee. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 73.9% of registrations being female. The average person named Arlee today is around 30 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Arlee births was 2023 (48 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Arlee. 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
870
~ 1 in 393,971 Americans
Peak year
2023
48 babies that year
Average age
30
years old
2022 SSA rank
#3,813
Tracked since 1907
Gender
Gender distribution for Arlee
Arlee is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 1,667 total registrations, 435 (26.1%) were male and 1,232 (73.9%) were female.
Arlee as a male name
- Ranked #10,969 in 2022
- 6 male births in 2022
- Peak: 1924 (14 births)
Arlee as a female name
- Ranked #3,813 in 2024
- 39 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2023 (48 births)
Popularity
Arlee: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Arlee from the 1900s through to the 2020s, spanning 13 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 324 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Arlee remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arlee 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 Arlee during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Arlees live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. Texas, Arkansas, Alabama recorded the most babies named Arlee, while Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 11 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Arlee
The name Arlee has its origins in the Scottish Gaelic language, with roots dating back to the 12th century. The name is derived from the Gaelic words "àrluinn" and "àirde," which translate to "high ground" and "height," respectively. It was initially a descriptive name given to individuals who lived in elevated or mountainous regions of Scotland.
In its earliest recorded usage, the name appeared in the form "Arlye" in the annals of the Clan MacKenzie, a prominent Scottish clan with roots in the Highlands. The name was borne by several members of the clan, including Arlye MacKenzie, born in 1387, who was renowned for his skills as a huntsman and his knowledge of the rugged terrain.
As the name spread throughout Scotland, it underwent various spelling variations, including "Arlee," "Arly," and "Arlye." One notable historical figure who bore the name was Arlee Douglas, a Scottish nobleman born in 1542. He was a staunch supporter of the Protestant Reformation and played a significant role in the religious and political struggles of the time.
In the 17th century, the name Arlee found its way across the Atlantic Ocean to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances was Arlee Jameson, born in 1648 in Massachusetts Bay Colony. Jameson was a respected farmer and community leader who played a role in the early development of the colony.
Another historically significant figure was Arlee Livingston, born in 1712 in New York. Livingston was a prominent lawyer and politician who served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and played a crucial role in the formation of the United States Constitution.
During the 19th century, the name Arlee gained popularity among Scottish immigrants to North America. One notable bearer was Arlee MacDonald, born in 1835 in Nova Scotia, Canada. MacDonald was a renowned poet and writer who helped preserve and promote Scottish Gaelic language and culture in the New World.
While the name Arlee has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, each leaving their mark on the tapestry of human experience.
People
Arlee + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Arlee 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
Arlee: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Arlee?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 870 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Arlee 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 393,971 US residents.
Is Arlee a common name?
We classify Arlee as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,667 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Arlee most popular?
The single biggest year for Arlee was 2023, when 48 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Arlee is about 30 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Arlee a female name?
Yes, 73.9% of people registered as Arlee 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.