Arlo: meaning and UK use

What does Arlo mean?

The reference suggests a possible link with the fictional Arlo Hill in Spenser's writing, but does not establish a definite origin. We do not present fortified hill as a settled meaning.

Language or name family covered

Origin uncertain

Meaning or derivation

Meaning uncertain

Our browsing group

boy; modern

Browsing groups describe our editorial shortlist, not rules about who may use a name. A name can cross languages and genders.

Sources for this entry — reviewed 2026-10-07:

• Behind the Name — Arlo

Pronunciation and related forms

AR-loh (British English)

English respellings are approximate; IPA is labelled where used. Follow the pronunciation a person or family chooses, and check it with a speaker of the intended language if that connection matters to you.

No variants or nicknames have been verified for this entry. A family nickname does not need to be an established dictionary form.

How popular is Arlo?

In 2025, 2,083 baby boys in England and Wales were registered as Arlo, making it the 15th most popular boys’ name. That is the same position as in 2024. Ten years earlier, in 2015, it ranked 102nd, so it has climbed 87 places in a decade. Its best year in the ONS series was 2023, at 14th. These figures cover England and Wales, not the whole UK.

2025 rank (boys)

15th

2025 registrations

2,083

Best rank in this series

14th (2023)

Every year from 1996 to 2025

Arlo: rank and number of baby boys by year (ONS)

Year	Rank	Babies
2025	15	2,083
2024	15	2,220
2023	14	2,253
2022	18	2,176
2021	20	2,154
2020	27	1,908
2019	34	1,678
2018	36	1,715
2017	42	1,470
2016	49	1,285
2015	102	619
2014	141	397
2013	189	295
2012	247	198
2011	281	158
2010	305	146
2009	311	132
2008	567	58
2007	651	44
2006	582	50
2005	766	32
2004	875	24
2003	1188	14
2002	848	21
2001	1949	6
2000	2142	5
1999	2943	3
1998	—	Not published
1997	—	Not published
1996	—	Not published

The sum of published counts in this 1996–2025 boys series is 21,144. This is a lower bound where years are suppressed, not the number of living people with the name. A best rank is the best position within this series; it does not establish an all-time record.

Selected hyphenated registrations starting with Arlo in 2025: Arlo-James: 57 (boys); Arlo-Jay: 32 (boys). This selection includes up to four matching forms with at least ten registrations, not every compound name.

Sources: ONS release, 2025; girls' dataset; boys' dataset. Our 20 top-ten positions were checked against Table 1 in the 2025 workbooks. The history chart and spelling comparisons come from the separate ONS 1996–2025 workbook, checked 7 October 2026. Spelling variants are separate entries. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate statistics.

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Names to compare with Arlo

These suggestions share a browsing group and one or more of our style tags or source-context labels. They are taste comparisons, not etymological relatives or a popularity ranking.

• Aaravmodern · Crying, howling or noise
• Albiemodern · A short form of Albert
• Archiemodern · A short form of Archibald
• Arthursame browsing group · Meaning unknown
• Finnmodern · An Irish form of Fionn
• Judemodern · A variant of Judas

Read the UK naming guide for the difference between inspiration lists and official statistics, or return to the full name finder.

Registering or changing the name

Once you decide on Arlo, confirm the registration process for your UK nation with the register office. If you later want to change a registered name, the route depends on the circumstances and may require consent from people with parental responsibility.

Start with GOV.UK birth registration or GOV.UK guidance on changing a child’s name. Our registration guide and child name-change guide explain where to find the relevant official process.