Arlen?!

[milosmummy16]

Love the name Arlo, but recently discovered the name Arlen which is very similar. Never heard of anyone called this before, what your opinion?

Our Len? Think he lives down south. . .

Sounds like someone trying to posh-up Alan! It's not Alan it's Arlen.

I know a Harlan, so to me it sounds like someone saying that and dropping the h. It's not bad though, but I think Arlo is nicer.

I love this name! I discovered it in a book series I've been reading as the name of one of the lead characters. However was always worried about using it due it being slightly out there?

Stick with Arlo, it's cool !

It's an Irish boys name meaning promise. There's a little Arlen at my Dds music group and he's so lovely, so I love the name! Had never heard of it before though.

Really torn between Arlo & Arlen!! The more I hear Arlen it's really growing on me. However I have heard of alot more Arlos recently, as it seems to becoming quite popular whereas never heard of an Arlen before.....still got a couple months to decide before baby arrives 😃 glad to get some feedback from others

I prefer Arlo. Arlen sounds too close to a strange form of Alan and people may end up just thinking or saying it as Alan/Allen anyway.

No awful.

Arlen sounds like someone can't pronounce Alan.

I have an Arlo & we were opposite an Arlen in the hospital. Obviously I prefer Arlo. They are everywhere at the moment though so if that bothered you then I'd go for Arlen.

I quite like Arlen.

No one will mistake Arlen for Alan since no babies are called Alan anymore! And they are clearly different names. Arlen is perfectly nice and much better than Arlo if you're trying to avoid a fad. It's a bit made up but then aren't lots of names? Or what about Arden, Auden, Aubin/Aubyn?

I thought the Irish word for promise was 'gealltanas' although I can see that is a bit more of a mouthful than Arlen

No.

Harland or Harlan if you're looking for a similar male name which is actually a name.

Or Arden.

Arlen is exactly how you would pronounce Alan if you lived just a bit further 'up the valley' than me! Saying that, I quite like it!

Prefer Arlo to Arlen. Seconding the "our Len" comment.

What about Ardal?

If you live up north or in wales you might need to consider the "our len" issue (altho I honestly don't think it would be a problem - plenty of names start with an Ah sound!). If you don't live up north or in wales then you don't need to worry about it. Nobody says that in the south or elsewhere in the world.

Honestly, people do come up with very imaginative and obscure reasons for not choosing certain names! Don't especially love Arlen or Arlo but that's nothing to do with those reasons! If you like it go for it

The child will get Arlene on all paperwork, for ever.

It's a nice name, but.....

Sounds like a girls name to me. Don't like it- Arlo is far better

We live right down in the south east so I don't think we will have any problems with people pronouncing our len like a few have suggested, but you never know! Thanks for all the replies, i feel I do slightly prefer Arlo more but due to how popular it has become I would rather try to pick something slightly different xx

Our len! 😂😂

The child won't get Arlene on paperwork, that's silly. It's a boy not a girl, and Arlene isn't even a very popular name!

Go for it OP. Auden is also nice.

Arlo is beautiful not liking Arlen at all

An Arlen would definitely get mistaken for an Arlene from time to time. Everyone's heard of the name Arlene whereas I'd imagine hardly anyone has come across Arlen.