Fun Facts About the Name Arlee
- More than 1 thousand babies named Arlee: U.S. records list 1,701 babies given the name Arlee from 1880 through 2025. Even 435 boys received the name Arlee - about 1 boy for every 3 girls.
What Does the Name Arlee Mean?
Arlee is an English given name used mainly in the United States, most often as a feminine name and generally treated as a spelling variant of Arlene (also spelled Arline and Arleen). The meaning behind Arlene is not settled. One explanation that is often repeated connects it to a Celtic word for a pledge or promise, but that derivation is not well documented. Other explanations treat Arlene as a shortened or altered form of names such as Charlene or Marlene, or link it to the 19th-century name Arline. Because these explanations disagree and none is firmly supported, the meaning of Arlee is best described as uncertain.
Arlee Name History & Origins
The name Arlee shares its form with Arlene, Arline, and Arleen, spellings that were in use in the English-speaking world by the 19th century. Arline is the name of the heroine of Michael Balfe's opera The Bohemian Girl (1843), a widely performed work of that period; this is a literary association and does not show where the name came from.
Arlee is also a place name in Montana. The town of Arlee, on the Flathead Indian Reservation, was named for a 19th-century Salish (Flathead) leader known as Chief Arlee. That use of the name comes from the leader's name and developed separately from the given name.
How Popular is the Name Arlee?
Arlee has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2023. Its best rank was #1,446 in 1908.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,182 | 34 | 0.0021% |
| 2024 | #3,813 | 39 | 0.0024% |
| 2023 | #3,331 | 48 | 0.0030% |
| 2022 | #3,707 | 41 | 0.0025% |
| 2021 | #4,518 | 30 | 0.0018% |
| 2020 | #4,275 | 32 | 0.0020% |
| 2019 | #3,455 | 45 | 0.0027% |
| 2018 | #5,327 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 2017 | #4,934 | 27 | 0.0016% |
| 2016 | #4,865 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2015 | #4,993 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2014 | #7,022 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2013 | #6,758 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2012 | #5,919 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2011 | #8,248 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2010 | #9,296 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2009 | #10,057 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2008 | #12,705 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #8,147 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2006 | #11,549 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #13,180 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #9,323 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2003 | #8,574 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2002 | #8,908 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2001 | #8,826 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2000 | #15,273 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #12,855 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #7,631 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #13,623 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #9,628 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1990 | #9,310 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #9,633 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #7,609 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1984 | #10,544 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #4,124 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1982 | #4,544 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1981 | #7,444 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1970 | #6,408 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1965 | #5,843 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1963 | #6,651 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1962 | #6,625 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1958 | #3,759 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1957 | #5,404 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1956 | #5,348 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1954 | #4,680 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1952 | #4,947 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1951 | #4,867 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1949 | #3,629 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1948 | #3,362 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1947 | #3,717 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1945 | #4,048 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1943 | #3,504 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1942 | #2,997 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1941 | #3,980 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1940 | #2,969 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1939 | #2,751 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1938 | #2,026 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1937 | #2,746 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1936 | #2,271 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1935 | #3,774 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1934 | #2,939 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1933 | #2,696 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1932 | #2,503 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1931 | #2,431 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1930 | #2,205 | 15 | 0.0013% |
| 1929 | #2,315 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1928 | #1,845 | 21 | 0.0018% |
| 1927 | #2,027 | 19 | 0.0016% |
| 1926 | #1,885 | 21 | 0.0018% |
| 1925 | #2,289 | 16 | 0.0013% |
| 1924 | #2,522 | 14 | 0.0011% |
| 1923 | #1,782 | 23 | 0.0019% |
| 1922 | #1,466 | 31 | 0.0026% |
| 1921 | #1,769 | 24 | 0.0019% |
| 1920 | #1,515 | 29 | 0.0024% |
| 1919 | #1,924 | 19 | 0.0017% |
| 1918 | #1,755 | 22 | 0.0019% |
| 1917 | #2,565 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1916 | #2,036 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1915 | #1,575 | 22 | 0.0022% |
| 1914 | #2,016 | 12 | 0.0016% |
| 1913 | #2,036 | 10 | 0.0016% |
| 1912 | #2,655 | 6 | 0.0011% |
| 1911 | #1,669 | 9 | 0.0022% |
| 1909 | #1,476 | 9 | 0.0026% |
| 1908 | #1,446 | 9 | 0.0027% |
| 1907 | #1,845 | 6 | 0.0019% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | #10,969 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #12,290 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #12,408 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #10,770 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #12,429 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #10,676 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #6,373 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1976 | #5,648 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1972 | #5,036 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1970 | #4,255 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1962 | #3,661 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1959 | #3,047 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1956 | #3,969 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1955 | #3,904 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1954 | #3,186 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1953 | #2,916 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1952 | #3,762 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1950 | #2,590 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1949 | #3,713 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1948 | #3,333 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1947 | #3,102 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1946 | #1,953 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1945 | #3,352 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1944 | #2,877 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1943 | #2,568 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1942 | #2,151 | 12 | 0.0009% |
| 1941 | #2,498 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1940 | #2,488 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1939 | #2,845 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1938 | #3,550 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1937 | #2,689 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1936 | #2,305 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1935 | #3,275 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1934 | #2,401 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1933 | #2,750 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1932 | #2,857 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1931 | #2,103 | 13 | 0.0013% |
| 1930 | #2,183 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1929 | #2,774 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1928 | #2,528 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1927 | #2,302 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1926 | #3,404 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1925 | #2,199 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1924 | #2,238 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1923 | #2,339 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1922 | #2,809 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1921 | #2,382 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1920 | #3,226 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1919 | #3,756 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1918 | #2,704 | 10 | 0.0010% |
| 1917 | #3,570 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1916 | #2,396 | 11 | 0.0012% |
| 1915 | #2,073 | 13 | 0.0015% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Explore More Lists with Name Arlee
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with A
Short Girl Names That Start with A
How the Name Arlee Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Powerful and complete. You are good intellectually and require several outlets for your energies. You are not a builder but a planner, and you want others to carry out your plans. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Arlee's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Arlee's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.