Is Arlo too popular?

[EmiliaGeorge]

We had written off Arlo as an option for a baby name early on. The main reason for this is my sister in law has always loved the name, and she was also pregnant with a baby boy when we fell pregnant - so we assumed she would use the name. They have recently had their little boy and did not use the name.

The other reason we did not consider it is because of its popularity. I know it’s risen steeply and it’s now in the top 20 (England). Our daughter has a name which isn’t very common but also not unheard of, it’s between 200 and 250 in popularity.

My husband has recently told me that Arlo is probably his favourite boy name. My favourite boy name is fairly similar to Arlo, it could possibly be used as a nickname, but it is considerably less popular (not in the top 500). My husband says he doesn’t mind my favourite name, but definitely seems hesitant when he talks about it. He’s also expressed that he feels like it’s not a real name. I’m not sharing it because it’s not really relevant to what I am asking, so I don’t want opinions on that instead. I don’t hate the name Arlo so I am considering whether to just agree to Arlo, but I am concerned about the popularity.

How many Arlo’s do you know? Do you think he would grow up and get sick of being one of many Arlo’s at school/work etc?

Also, we had originally planned to use the middle name James as it is a family name. If I were to agree to Arlo I would not want to use the middle name James, I don’t like the nickname AJ and I think it’s two very popular names together. Do you have any suggestions for a more unique middle name?

It’s such a try hard name. It screams look how different and unusual we are and is now quite common.

I think Arlo is a good name for a clown, a dog or a horse.

For a child? not so much...

I don’t really see how it’s a try hard name that screams look how different we are - the point I am making is that it (according to stats) is extremely popular so clearly isn’t very different 😂

The only Arlo I know is a cat. Popularity only tells you so much - all 3 of my DCs had names which weren't particularly popular at the time they were born - and all have ended up in a class with someone of the same or similar name. It's really not a problem

Too popular is entirely subjective. There are enough parents who choose top ten names to keep them popular. Some parents will only look at names outside of the top 50, others the top 500.

It’s worth noting with name popularity that the most popular names are used less often than the most popular names used to be used (73% of boys had a top hundred name in 1996 vs 46% in 2022). The names that were popular when you were at school will have been given to a higher percentage of babies again. So the five Toms in a class effect should be less of a concern these days, as parents are picking from an increasingly wide pool of names.

Name trends are also highly localised. You can look up name data per region, I don’t think that’s super helpful as pockets of popularity are often more local than that. Not sure if you have any friends with babies in your area, but might be worth asking how many Arlos they know.

is a name which rose up very quickly in popularity and may well fall down just as quickly in due course. That means he’ll be tied to his generation by his name, and also due to the two syllable ending in O trend (which I don’t think is inherently bad). But when he grows up and starts work and is in mixed aged environments, he won’t be alongside an existing generation of Arlos, and possibly won’t have more an more Arlos joining him for the rest of the life. Thomas, which is very close to Arlo on the 2022 data, but has been in the top hundred every year since records began will have a compounding effect of many Thomases from every generation which Arlo doesn’t have, which will make it feel more unusual.

"Try-hard name" yes because you don't want people to think you gave more than a passing thought to naming your child!

I don't like it, but many do. I think it will date very badly. However, I really don't understand the objection to "popularity". Unless you call your child wheeliebin or cauliflower there will be others with the same name - does it matter? They'll still be unique and precious to you.

I'm a vet and I know quite a few dogs named Arlo. It's rising in popularity here for puppy names. Don't know any children though.

I’m not necessarily against popularity, I think if it was our first child we wouldn’t even be considering the popularity. My issue is more that our daughter has a much less common name, we’ve not come across any others in our area. I don’t want our son to grow up resenting being one of many, many Arlo’s and thinking we just picked the first name on the list we found.

I’m a teacher and have never taught an Arlo. I also have 4 children under ten and have never met an Arlo in any class/playgroup or activity. I think Arlo James is a lovely name. You can never guarantee there won’t be another kid with the same name in your social circle even if you choose an unusual name. I would be led by thr names you like rather than the popularity

Sorry. Are you gonna name your child Arlo Valerian or not? He's clearly a minor character in some middling fantasy novel. Arlo Valerian.

Terrible name. Arlo.
Worst name. Arlo Valerian.

I know one little boy and one dog

As someone said upthread, popular names tend to fall into two categories - the classics, where a person with that name could be any age. James is a perfect example! Or the trendy names that do date quickly - Gary being a great example in that in 2024 you wouldn't bat an eyelid at a middle aged Gary but a baby Gary would stand out.

Arlo would fall into the second category, and that may not bother you at all, but it's something to be aware of.

It was quite popular five or six years ago but I get the feeling the name has cooled down a bit. My boy is called Arlo and there is only one other boy in his school with the same name and they are fine years apart. Primary school.

It seems faddy to me rather than extremely popular. It is popular though, although not overly so in my area. I know of an 8 year old Arlo and a baby Arlo. I hear it in the park semi regularly, though not as much as Noah and Arthur

I know one Arlo and he is in his 50s. I don’t know any child or baby Arlos.

I agree with others this may depend on area you live.
I don't know any Arlos, in fact I've never heard the name

I really like it.

I only know 1 and he’s 10.

Tbh there are far more many Alfie’s, George’s, Oscar’s, Samuels,
Olivers and Theo’s at our school. There isn’t an Arlo.

I know 3 under school age, and one aged 10. Agree it’s less common than Theo, but I think it’ll age worse.

Not heard of it apart from the dinosaur film.

My hairdresser's dog is called Arlo. I don't like it as a person name.

I know of one baby with it as a middle name. I really like the name.

It is the number one dog name in our area.

I know 10 under 6.

It’s more how trendy it is that would put me off. It will likely be the Gary of the future, as it got popular really quickly out of no where. Not necessarily a bad thing, but something I try to avoid.

I work in a secondary school with 1200 pupils qe have 2 Arlo's in the whole school

I have not met any Arlos and don't think I've ever heard of anyone calling their child Arlo either. It may be popular in your area but it is unlikely your Arlo and all the other Arlos will all continue to live in the same place when they grow up. They'll disperse and be the only Arlo in town.