Find out how popular the first name Harlow has been for the last 48 years (from 1976 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Harlow by gender

Based on the last 48 years of data, Harlow is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 93% of people named Harlow being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 1,266 female babies and 181 male babies born with the name Harlow.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 181 baby boys were named Harlow in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Harlow

The name Harlow is an English given name with origins dating back to the Anglo-Saxon era. It is derived from the Old English words "hær" meaning "rock, stone" and "hlāw" meaning "hill, mound." Together, these elements suggest the name Harlow may have been used to describe someone who lived near a rocky hill or mound.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Harlow can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The entry lists a place called "Harlow" in the county of Essex.

In the medieval period, the name Harlow was primarily associated with various locations in England, such as Harlow in Essex, Harlow Hill in Yorkshire, and Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire. These places likely took their names from the Old English words that formed the basis of the personal name.

One notable historical figure with the name Harlow was Sir Robert Harlow (1584-1654), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the reign of King Charles I. He served as the Speaker of the House of Commons from 1629 to 1640.

Another individual of note was John Harlow (1786-1853), an American Baptist minister and educator who served as the first president of Waterville College, now known as Colby College, in Maine.

In the realm of literature, Harlow Wilcox (1900-1949) was an American author and playwright best known for his work "The Egg and I," a semi-autobiographical novel about life on a chicken farm in the Pacific Northwest.

The name Harlow also gained prominence in the 20th century with the rise of Hollywood actress Jean Harlow (1911-1937), whose birth name was Harlean Harlow Carpenter. She was a leading sex symbol and one of the most popular actresses of the 1930s, known for her platinum blonde hair and distinctive voice.

Another notable figure was Harlow Shapley (1885-1972), an American astronomer and mathematician who played a crucial role in establishing the scale of the Milky Way galaxy and the existence of other galaxies beyond the Milky Way.

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 Harlow was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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