Find out how popular the first name Arlington has been for the last 50 years (from 1975 to 2024) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Arlington by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Arlington is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 79% of people named Arlington being male.

For the most recent data in 2024, there were 22 male babies and 7 female babies born with the name Arlington.

The history of the first name Arlington

The given name Arlington is an English place name that originated as a locational surname derived from the town of Arlington in Devon, England. The name Arlington itself is thought to be derived from the Old English words "Ærlingatun," meaning "the town of the people of Ærla" or "the estate associated with a man called Ærla."

The earliest recorded use of the name Arlington dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was listed as "Alrintone." This suggests that the name has been in use for over nine centuries. The town of Arlington in Devon likely existed before the Norman Conquest of 1066, as many English place names have their roots in the Anglo-Saxon era.

Throughout history, the name Arlington has been relatively uncommon as a given name, although it has been used sporadically. One of the earliest recorded individuals with the first name Arlington was Arlington Spencer (1737-1811), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Woodstock.

Another notable figure was Arlington Parry (1810-1856), a Welsh-born Australian politician who served as the 11th Premier of New South Wales from 1854 to 1856. In the United States, Arlington Mallery (1828-1908) was a notable Union Army officer during the American Civil War, rising to the rank of brigadier general.

Other individuals with the first name Arlington include Arlington Curtiss Winslow (1838-1920), an American lawyer and politician from Massachusetts, and Arlington Christian Cotten (1859-1944), an American businessman and plantation owner from North Carolina.

While the name Arlington has not been widely popular as a given name throughout history, its unique origins and connection to the English town of the same name make it a distinctive choice with a rich historical background.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Arlington was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Arlington, please contact us.

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