Earlene
Primarily a girl's name with 14,165 recorded births. Also given to 5 boys.
Meaning & Origin
A female given name from English derived from Earl.
Earlene is a girl's and boy's baby name of Old English origin, a feminine form of Earl, from the Old English eorl, meaning 'nobleman, chieftain.' Like Earline, it was created to give women a name with aristocratic resonance.
Earlene was most popular in the American South between the 1920s and 1950s. Its strong, grounded sound reflects a tradition of giving daughters names that carried the same dignified weight as male titles.
EtymologyShow more
Phonetically, Earlene belongs to a cluster of names characterized by their open, approachable ending — ending on a vowel softens the overall impression. At two syllables, it has a two-beat rhythm that is easy to call across a room and natural in conversation.
Sound-alike names often cluster in style even when they come from different linguistic roots. The Similar Names section below uses letter and phonetic patterns to surface names in Earlene’s sonic neighborhood.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Earlene has 97+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1901.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | #18430 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 83 | #10286 | ▼ |
| 1980s | 196 | #4330 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 362 | #2490 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 1,143 | #1039 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 2,615 | #576 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 3,689 | #380 | ▲ |
| 1930s | 3,264 | #356 | ▲ |
| 1920s | 2,144 | #486 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 613 | #842 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 51 | #1462 | — |
The Story of Earlene
A Baby Boomer name
Peaking in 1947, Earlene is a timeless Baby Boomer name. Girls named Earlene are most likely born between 1937 and 1957.
How rare is Earlene?
Earlene has 14,165 recorded births in the U.S. — a well-established name with deep roots.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1901, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1940s with 3,689 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Earlene by the numbers
- Would fill 295 school buses
- Meeting one Earlene per day would take 38.8 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(97 years, 1901–2007)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 5 | #18430 |
| 1999 | 6 | #13157 |
| 1998 | 6 | #12910 |
| 1997 | 9 | #9251 |
| 1996 | 5 | #14148 |
| 1995 | 13 | #6759 |
| 1994 | 6 | #12229 |
| 1993 | 8 | #9843 |
| 1992 | 9 | #8953 |
| 1991 | 11 | #7556 |
| 1990 | 10 | #8054 |
| 1989 | 23 | #4156 |
| 1988 | 11 | #6781 |
| 1987 | 23 | #3776 |
| 1986 | 14 | #5257 |
| 1985 | 15 | #4910 |
| 1984 | 23 | #3542 |
| 1983 | 24 | #3360 |
| 1982 | 22 | #3680 |
| 1981 | 24 | #3460 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Earlene as a Boy's Name
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Earlene has also been given to 5 boys in the U.S. since 1931.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Earlene a boy's or girl's name?
When was Earlene most popular?
How popular is the name Earlene?
Can Earlene be used for both boys and girls?
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1901–2007