Arlene
Meaning of Arlene
Arlene—pronounced a melodious ahr-LEEN—floats from the lips like a sun-kissed breeze drifting from Galway’s emerald hills all the way to a plaza in Sevilla. Coined in the early twentieth century as a lyrical cousin to Arlen and Eileen, the name traces its roots to the old Gaelic word for “pledge,” a quiet promise wrapped in two bright syllables. Mid-century America fell hard for her charm—she pirouetted to the very edge of the national Top 50 in 1934—helped along by silver-screen sirens Arlene Dahl and Arlene Francis, who tucked her into Hollywood’s constellation of glamour. Even the Atlantic couldn’t resist borrowing her for a fleet of hurricanes, cheekily reminding us that this lady can rustle palm fronds when she feels like it. Today, though her usage has settled into the gentle 800s, Arlene endures like a vintage bolero: warm, lilting, and forever ready to swirl across the dance floor of new beginnings. In every cradle she graces, the name whispers a viva-la-vida vow— to love boldly, laugh often, and greet each dawn with an open-skied heart.
Pronunciation
British English
- Pronunced as ahr-LEEN (/ɑrˈliːn/)
American English
- Pronunced as ahr-LEEN (/ɑrˈlin/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Arlene
| Arlene Dahl was a Minnesota-born actress of Norwegian descent who went from stage musicals to Hollywood films like My Wild Irish Rose and Caribbean Gold. |
| Dame Arlene Phillips is an English choreographer best known as a judge on Strictly Come Dancing and for creating the dances in hit musicals like Starlight Express and Grease. |
| Arlene Francis was an American actress and TV pioneer, best known as a longtime panelist on What's My Line? from 1950 to 1975. |
| Arlene Dávila is a Puerto Rican author and New York University professor who founded The Latinx Project and has written eight books on Latino identity, media, and culture. |
| Arlene Blum is an American mountaineer and scientist who led the first American ascent of Annapurna with an all-woman team and now works to reduce toxic chemicals as head of the Green Science Policy Institute. |
| Arlene Dickinson is a South African-born Canadian entrepreneur and investor best known as one of the tough but fair Dragons on CBC's Dragons' Den. |
| Arlene S. Kanter is an American lawyer and award-winning Syracuse University law professor who founded the school's Disability Law and Policy Program. |
| Arlene Martel was an American actress nicknamed the Chameleon for her knack with accents and her ability to play characters of many ethnicities. |
| Arlene Raven was a feminist art historian, critic, and curator who helped found several feminist art organizations in 1970s Los Angeles. |
| Arlene Howell is an American former actress who was crowned Miss USA in 1958. |
| Arlene Alda is an American photographer and children's author who began as a professional clarinetist and is married to actor Alan Alda. |
| Arlene Saunders was an American opera singer known for her soprano voice and performances with the New York City Opera. |
| Arlene Limas is an American taekwondo champion of Mexican and Polish descent who has won multiple international gold medals. |
| Arlene Setzer is a Republican politician who served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2001 to 2008. |
| Arlene Reid Wohlgemuth is a former Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives who represented District 58. |
