Meaning & Origin
A female given name originating as a coinage.
Arlene is a girl's and boy's baby name of uncertain origin — most likely an Irish or American coinage, possibly derived from Carlene or Marlene, or inspired by the Irish place name element Ard meaning 'high, noble.'
Arlene was a top-50 girls' name in the U.S. from the 1930s through the 1950s, particularly popular in working-class communities in the Midwest and South. Actress Arlene Dahl and TV personality Arlene Francis embodied its mid-century American glamour. It carries a warm, retro confidence today.