The name Arlis is believed to have its origins in the ancient Germanic language. It is thought to be a combination of the Old German words "ari" meaning "eagle" and "lisi" meaning "protection" or "guardian." The name is therefore believed to have originally meant something along the lines of "one who is protected like an eagle" or "guardian eagle."

In some early historical records from the Germanic regions of Europe, variations of the name such as "Arlise" and "Arlisia" can be found. These were likely early spellings of the name before standardized spellings became more common. The name seems to have been used more frequently in certain areas like modern-day Germany, the Netherlands, and parts of Scandinavia during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest known records of the name dates back to the 8th century. An Arlisia is mentioned as being a nun in the Benedictine monastery of Fulda in what is now central Germany during the reign of the Frankish king Charlemagne. A few centuries later in the 11th century, an Arlis is recorded as being a monk and scholar at the monastery of Reichenau on Lake Constance.

Throughout the centuries, the name does not appear to have been particularly widespread but pops up in various historical accounts across different regions. An Arlisia from the Dutch town of Utrecht is recorded as having traveled to Rome on a pilgrimage in the early 13th century. Around 1400, an Arlis was a merchant and member of the Hanseatic League based in the city of Hamburg.

In the 16th century, an Italian noblewoman named Arlis Ricci lived in Florence and was a patron of the arts during the Renaissance, commissioning works from artists of the time. Moving into more modern times, in the late 18th century, Arlis Müller was a philosopher and professor from Berlin who wrote treatises on ethics and metaphysics. And in the early 20th century, the Swedish explorer Arlis Andersson led expeditions mapping regions of Patagonia in South America.