Name of the Week: Arlo

Origin:

Arlo is a name of unclear origins. It has been linked to many other names, such as Carlo, but this smacks a little of appropriation simply because the names sound similar.  The Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames lists the form Arlow (but not Arlo) as a variant of the surname Harlow, itself from the places Harlow in Essex or Harlow Hill in both Northumberland and West Yorkshire. The place in West Yorkshire derives its name from the Anglo-Saxon hoer "rock, stones" and hlaw "hill," whereas those in Northumberland and Essex derive from here "army, host" and  hlaw "hill." Arlow itself was used very occasionally as a given name in the 19th century in Britain (presumably as a family surname) however the spelling Arlo wasn't used until the 20th century, so Harlow in itself probably only plays a small part in Arlo's adoption as a given name.  Edmund Spenser used the name Arlo Hill for a fictional place in his epic poem 'The Faerie Queene' (1590). Experts point to the Glen of Aherlow in Ireland, anglicised by the English as Arlo*, as the source of this name. Aherlow itself comes from the Irish Gaelic eathralach "between two highlands." Once again however, this fictional place name is unlikely the full story for Arlo's use.  The origins most likely lie, not in Old English or Irish place names, or with English poetry, but over in America—something that bears out when we see that Arlo was a complete anomaly in Britain in the 19th and early 20th century, but had actually established and proper use in America at that time. Abby at Appellation Mountain has done excellent research showing that one of the earliest bearers of the name, Arlo Bates (1850–1918), American author, educator and newspaperman, almost certainly had an invented name, as was his family's tradition*. His six novels were published between 1884 and 1900 which coincides with the name's rise in use in America. Given that there are many examples of parents looking to novels and other print publications for baby name inspiration during this time — in much the same way parents today are influenced by television and film — it seems likely that Bates influenced several parents in America to use his invented name.

Usage:

Arlo first entered the top 1000 in America in 1900 and peaked at #667 in 1915. In England and Wales, Arlo itself was first registered once in 1915 and then not again until once in 1939. It was not registered in Scotland at all in the 19th century.  Data from the Surname Atlas (click to enlarge) The surname Arlow was registered as a given name four times in the 19th century in England and Wales, and only once in the 20th century: in 1972.  Data from the 1881 census shows that Arlow was even very rare as surname, being registered for only 62 families at the time of the census, mostly in Lanarkshire, Middlesex and Pembrokeshire. Arlo wasn't used as a surname at all. Arlo first came into proper use in 1969 most likely thanks to the success of American folk-singer Arlo Guthrie. Births in England and Wales were as follows: 1969: 3 births 1970: 5 births 1971: 9 births 1972: 9 births 1973: 6 births 1974: 1 birth 1975: 3 births 1976: 3 births 1977: 4 births The name continued in the same usage through the 1980s and 1990s.  In 1999, Arlo ranked #2943 in England and Wales with three births and gradually started to rise afterwards. In 2008, it had risen to #567 (58 birth) making a big leap the following year to #311 (132 births) in 2009. Some of this may have been thanks to newsreader and television presenter Natasha Kaplinsky naming her son Arlo in September 2008. At this point, she had just moved to Channel 5, making her the highest paid newsreader in the UK, and ratings saw a 72% increase, which the Guardian dubbed "The Natasha Effect." By 2013 it was #189 (295 births), rising to #102 (619 births) overall in England and Wales in 2015. Regionally, Arlo ranked in four out of nine regions in England, particularly in the South and Midlands: South West: #79; South East: #84; East Midlands: #87; West Midlands: #95.  2015 saw the release of Disney Pixar's The Good Dinosaur featuring an adorable dinosaur named Arlo. In 2016, two footballers — Theo Walcott and Andy Carroll — both named their sons Arlo, so an even greater rise is expected for the name in 2016 in England and Wales. In Scotland (who have kindly already released their 2016 stats), it has already succeeded breaking into the top 100, having made a meteoric leap from #194 (28 births) in 2015 to #91 (73 births) in 2016.  Expect to see more of Arlo to come.

Famous Bearers:

History: * Arlo Bates (1850–1918), American author, educator and newspaperman. Contemporary: * Arlo Guthrie (b. 1947), American folk singer. Literature and Other Media: * Arlo, the lead character in the 2015 Disney·Pixar film The Good Dinosaur. * Arlo Glass, character on the 8th season of the television series 24.

Variants:

Arlow

Pronunciation:

AR-lo [key]

Possible diminutives:

N/A

Sibling Names:

Alba     Eloise     Marnie     Iris     Mila     Leila  Levi     Roman     Elliott     Felix     Jude     Jonah

Name Lists:

Ripe Renovations

 

If you like Arlo you may also like:   Rowan, Milo, Ezra, Eli, Asher, Blake, Jesse, Hugo, Maxwell, Albie

Thanks to Jenna for requesting Arlo.