Arlette
Meaning of Arlette
Arlette traces its roots to medieval Normandy, where Herleva—more commonly rendered as Arlette—was celebrated as the spirited mother of William the Conqueror; scholars link the name to the Old Germanic element “arn,” meaning “eagle,” a fitting emblem of watchful strength. In French it retained courtly polish, later turning up on the marquee of a 1920s operetta and, more recently, on artisan pastry menus, yet in the United States it flew largely under the statistical radar until a modest revival began in the late 1990s. Current data show a steady climb from just 32 girls in 1991 to over 500 in 2024, suggesting that modern parents are rediscovering its crisp, two-syllable charm as an alternative to Charlotte or Colette. Pronounced ar-LET in English (with a slightly softer initial consonant in French), the name offers an international veneer without demanding linguistic gymnastics, and its blend of historic gravitas and contemporary lightness gives Arlette an appeal that feels both cultivated and quietly distinctive.
Pronunciation
English
- Pronunced as ar-LET (/ˈɑr.lɛt/)
French
- Pronunced as ar-LET (/aʁ.lɛ.t/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Arlette
| Arlette Nougarède was a cell biologist specializing in plant development, serving as Professor Emeritus at Pierre and Marie Curie University and a corresponding member of the French Academy of Sciences. |
| Arlette Yvonne Laguiller was a French politician who served as the spokeswoman and leader of the Trotskyist party Lutte Ouvrière from 1973 to 2008. |
| Arlette Langmann is a French screenwriter, film editor, and production designer, born in Paris to Jewish immigrant parents from Romania and Poland, best known for her collaborations with her brother Claude Berri, Maurice Pialat, and Philippe Garrel. |
| Arlette Chabot is a prominent French journalist who led France 2's editorial team until 2010 and then became head of news at Europe 1 in 2011. |
| Arlette Lefebvre - Arlette Marie-Laure Lefebvre, known as "Dr. Froggie," is a child psychiatrist at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. |
