Girl name · Old English
Harlow
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: army hill or rock hillHarlow is a girl's name that comes from Old English and means "army hill or rock hill". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Army hill or rock hill
- Origin
- Old English
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #309 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Harlow
As a girl's name, Harlow comes from Old English and means "army hill or rock hill". It is used in English.
Harlow is also a surname: the 3,126th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 11,238 people. See the most common last names.
Its meaning puts Harlow on our names that mean warrior and nature names lists.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Harlow on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Harlow on 1 list.
“Old English for army hill or rock hill; old Hollywood glamour”
From Country girl names, surname names for Southern girls
How popular is Harlow?
- US rank in 2025
- #309
- 981 babies, 610 per million girls
- Best rank
- #237 in 2021
- 1,278 babies that year
- Babies since 2002
- At least 13,986
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 0 per million |
| 1950s | 0 per million |
| 1960s | 0 per million |
| 1970s | 0 per million |
| 1980s | 0 per million |
| 1990s | 0 per million |
| 2000s | 28 per million |
| 2010s | 383 per million |
| 2020s | 696 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #420 | #390 | #366 | #316 | #324 | #237 | #263 | #238 | #293 | #309 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Harlow
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- HarborA safe haven for ships (English, unisex)
Names with a similar meaning
- PetraRock, stone (Greek, girl)
- AlanMeaning uncertain; perhaps little rock, or from the Alans (Brythonic, boy)
- PeterRock, stone (Greek, boy)
- ArmandoArmy man (Germanic, boy)
- HermanArmy man, soldier (Germanic, boy)
- ArlethVariant of Arlette, from Herleva, possibly army and legacy (Germanic, girl)
- CraigRock, crag (Scottish Gaelic, boy)
- HaraldArmy ruler (Old Norse, boy)
- HerbertBright army (Germanic, boy)
- KnoxRound hill (Old English, boy)
- PeadarRock, stone (Greek, boy)
- PedroRock, stone (Greek, boy)
- PierceRock (Greek, boy)
- WalterRuler of the army (Germanic, boy)
- AlanaFeminine form of Alan, possibly little rock (Breton, girl)
Middle names for Harlow
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Old English
- EdithRich in war (Old English, girl)
- StormTempest (Old English, unisex)
- AudreyNoble strength (Old English, girl)
- HarperHarp player (Old English, unisex)
- LindenLime tree (Old English, unisex)
- LindsayLincoln island (Old English, unisex)
- SundayDay of the sun (Old English, unisex)
- ÆlfflædElf beauty (Old English, girl)
- ÆlfgifuElf gift (Old English, girl)
- ÆlfthrythElf strength (Old English, girl)
- ÆlfwynnElf joy (Old English, girl)
- ÆthelflædNoble beauty (Old English, girl)
- ÆthelthrythNoble strength (Old English, girl)
- AshAsh tree (Old English, unisex)
- AshleyAsh tree clearing (Old English, unisex)
- AspenAspen tree (Old English, unisex)
- AudenFrom Ealdwine, old friend, or Norse Hálfdan (Old English, unisex)
- AveryElf counsel (Old English, unisex)
Harlow: common questions
What does the name Harlow mean?
Harlow comes from Old English and means "army hill or rock hill".
Is Harlow a boy or girl name?
Harlow is mainly a girl's name. In 2025, 981 girls and 167 boys in the US were named Harlow, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Harlow come from?
Harlow comes from Old English and means "army hill or rock hill". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Harlow?
Harlow ranked #309 in the US in 2025, with 981 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Harlow?
Names spelled like Harlow include Harbor.
What middle names go with Harlow?
Middle names that flow well with Harlow include Briar, Dawn, Eliza, Ione and Joy. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.