Harlow is an Old English surname name meaning "army hill" or "mound of the people," from here (army) + hlaw (hill or burial mound). Ranked #1251 for boys with a peak in 2023 and around 2,500 total SSA uses, it's a name that runs heavily female in current American usage, powered by both a Golden Age Hollywood legend and modern celebrity naming.
Jean Harlow and the Hollywood Blonde
Jean Harlow (born Harlean Harlow Carpenter in 1911, died at 26 in 1937) was one of the most magnetic screen presences of the early Hollywood era. Known as the "Platinum Blonde," she brought a combination of vulnerability and wit to films like Bombshell and Platinum Blonde." Her early death and extraordinary screen legacy gave Harlow a glamorous, melancholic quality that name enthusiasts have appreciated for decades. The surname as a given name follows the American tradition of honoring entertainers through naming. Old English surname names with this kind of single-iconic-bearer history have a particular magnetism.
Nicole Richie's Naming Influence
Nicole Richie named her daughter Harlow in 2008, providing one of the more influential celebrity naming moments of that decade. The name began appearing in SSA data in meaningful numbers following that moment and has continued building. For celebrity-influenced naming, the 15-year runway from that decision to 2023's peak shows unusual staying power.
Harlow for Boys
In SSA data, Harlow runs predominantly female. Parents choosing it for a boy are working against a strong current gender perception. The name's Old English etymology ("army hill") has no inherent gender, and its structure (two syllables, -o ending) is used on both boys and girls. The Harlow-as-surname origin gives it some gender-neutral grounding. Compare it to Marlowe, a similar Old English surname name that has a slightly more balanced gender profile in current usage.