Arlo

[BeKindBeYou]

I know this name gets quite a lot of hate around here, but we are really thinking about this name for our son because we love it.

I know it’s getting popular, but it’s still only mid 20s in the rankings and nowhere near as popular as the likes of Jack’s and George’s.

Honest opinions on this name please!

It's had a steep upward rise in popularity in the last 5 years. It was hardly used at all in previous decades.It will probably be a names that is very popular for a few years and then will fall rapidly in use.

It will date badly. names.darkgreener.com/#arlo

I think it is nothingy and makes me think of Harlow in Essex. Not the best association

A No from me.

We thought about it but didn't go with it because it was shooting up the charts. It's nice but with a west country accent can sound a bit 'farmer' if that's a worry.

It's also the name of the cat on Bing

I quite like it, but the sudden popularity would put me off. I think it will continue up the charts, stick around for a few years and then fall away, making it a very 'of the time' name, which I don't like.

Also, all the Arlo's I know are from a specific type of family and it's not a vibe I personally enjoy.

All that said though, if you love it use it.

It's lovely. It's also by far the single most popular name I've seen given out of everyone I know who's had a baby boy in the last few years - genuinely I have lost count of how many but it's at least 6 whereas I rarely otherwise hear a name "repeated".

I absolutely love it and wanted it for our dc but it is so popular here (NZ) that there are always at least 2-5 other kids called Arlo anywhere we go. We went for Angus instead which I also love and think has a similar feel but no where near as popular.

You can't really compare it to names like Jack and George because they have been in use for centuries. You could compare it to something like Roman, which is one ahead at #21

I know 3 Arlo’s! All born in the last year x

Cute

I think it’s quite a nice name.

Popularity would be a concern for me, it has has a sharp rise to 27 and doesn’t appear to have peaked yet, until a name does begin to plateau there is no knowing how popular it will become. But this is such a personal issue and different parents feel differently about what is an acceptable level of popularity.

As the level of use is very recent it is only saturated in the current generation of babies, once your child is over 18 and in ‘the real world’ he will be in the workplace with people of all ages so much more likely to be the only Arlo compared to more popular Jack and George that you mentioned, but also the less popular David and John which have been steadily used for generations. I think people forget this when they discuss popularity. I have a classic name that has steady use for over 100 years, I was the only Summa (not real name) in my school year, but there has been at least 1 other and upto 5 others since I have been in the workplace.

Finally, the name will date, and I think quite strongly given the sharpness of rise. Not something that bothers me, very very few names are actually timeless, even names in low use can ‘feel’ like the style of the time. But something to think on if that might be a problem for you.

If you love it, use it! It's a perfectly reasonable name. What are you hoping to gain by asking for approval here when you already know a lot of posters aren't keen?!

If you like the name just use it, and don’t tell anyone your planned name irl or someone is bound to ruin it for you. It’s far harder for people to criticise your name choice when baby is here and already named.

Congratulations on your pregnancy.

@Synchrony

If you love it, use it! It's a perfectly reasonable name. What are you hoping to gain by asking for approval here when you already know a lot of posters aren't keen?!

They might be checking there is nothing they are missing in regards to the name which might change how they feel about using it.

• association with a horrific crime, Myra
• rude word in different language/culture, Pippa
• used by technology giant, Alexa

I wouldn’t take MN opinions on my chosen names, I don’t care if strangers online like it, but there is value in checking the name on a forum with a cross-section of society. If I had chosen Gabriel, but someone here said that Amazons next generation Alexa was going to be called that I would have to think very hard about using it for example. Knowledge is power.

I have an Arlo. We had specific reasons for choosing the name and it was less popular when DS was born (nearly a decade ago now).
If you like it just use it.
My son is at a small school, he's the only Arlo and among the rest of the school they have to identify so many children by both names as there are lots of duplicates.

Arlo is both far too trendy and far too popular for me. It's not a bad name if that doesn't bother you though.

Makes me think of the disney dinosaur

Was it a name that would have been on your list 5/10/15/20 years ago?

I agree that the problem is not its popularity so much as its trendiness. I think it will be very dateable: the Nigel of today! That said, in itself I think it’s quite a nice name.

I don’t like it. It sounds like a dog’s name.

When you say there’s a lot of hate “round here”, do you mean on Mumsnet or where you live?

If it’s the former, maybe don’t ask on here and if it’s the latter, just don’t tell people the name. If you like it, use it!

It was on my list for DS3 but I'm so thankful I didn't use it as it's everywhere at the moment. It is a nice name though, I don't think it will date in a bad way. I think it will date in the same way that Noah will for example...

It was in our top 3 names for DS and probably finished second on the list, I'd go for it!

It's nice enough but will date very much to this time I think.

Something like Ivo or Jethro would avoid that.

@SummerLew, Noah has been a top 100 name for nearly 20 years. They are everywhere. It's #4 now. Arlo shot up from outside the top 100 to #49 in 2016, so the increase in popularity was much faster.

@WhoppingBigBackside

Oh you again.

Yes, my opinion obviously. As was the Ruben post.

I really dislike it. I have no idea why it's popular all of a sudden.

But anyway, if you both love it, go for it. It is unlikely to raise any eyebrows.

It will date though...but that doesn't bother everyone