Harlene
A feminine given name of unknown origin, possibly a blend of Harlow and Marlene.
Name Census estimates that about 452 living Americans carry the first name Harlene. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Harlene today is around 73 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Harlene births was 1937 (81 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Harlene. 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 Harlene is about 73 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Harlenes were born before 1963.
People living today
452
~ 1 in 758,306 Americans
Peak year
1937
81 babies that year
Average age
73
years old
2020 SSA rank
#15,968
Tracked since 1915
Popularity
Harlene: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Harlene from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 422 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1930s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Harlene 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 Harlene during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Harlenes live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. California, Illinois, New York recorded the most babies named Harlene, while Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 30 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Harlene
The name Harlene is a relatively modern invention, first appearing in the early 20th century as a blend of the names Harriet and Arlene. It has no definitive language or cultural origin, as it was likely created as a unique combination of two existing names.
While the names Harriet and Arlene have roots in various cultures and languages, Harlene itself does not have any direct historical or linguistic lineage. It is considered a purely American name, gaining popularity in the United States during the 1920s and 1930s.
The earliest known recorded use of the name Harlene dates back to the 1910s, although it did not become widely adopted until the following decades. There are no known references to the name in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or historical records prior to the 20th century.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Harlene was Harlene Hughes (1919-1984), an American actress and model who appeared in several films and television shows during the 1940s and 1950s. Another prominent figure was Harlene Hayne (1923-2011), a Canadian figure skater who competed in the 1948 Winter Olympics.
Harlene Harlick (born 1932) is a Canadian artist and sculptor known for her work with stained glass and mosaic. Harlene Winblad (born 1945) is an American businesswoman and co-founder of the software company Open Systems Inc.
Harlene Lazarus (1908-1999) was an American businesswoman and co-founder of the clothing retailer Lane Bryant, which specialized in plus-size fashion. She played a significant role in promoting body positivity and inclusivity in the fashion industry during the mid-20th century.
While the name Harlene experienced a surge in popularity during the early to mid-20th century, it has since declined in usage, though it remains a unique and distinctive choice for a given name.
People
Harlene + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Harlene as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with H
Other first names starting with H with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Harlene: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Harlene?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 452 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Harlene 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 758,306 US residents.
Is Harlene a common name?
We classify Harlene as "Very Rare". It ranks above 83.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,119 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Harlene most popular?
The single biggest year for Harlene was 1937, when 81 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Harlene is about 73 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Harlene a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Harlene 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.