This post contains affiliate links.
At a Glance: Name: Harlow – Meaning: a hill fortified or used by an army — though the first element is disputed and may instead mean 'rock' – Origin: Old English (place name/surname) – Gender: Neutral – Pronunciation: HAR-loh
Harlow is an Old English place name and surname, pronounced HAR-loh, and today it's used as a neutral name with a bold, vintage feel. You'll often see it defined online as 'meadow of the hare,' but that's not the attested history: the name actually combines Old English words for 'army' — or possibly 'rock' — with 'hlaw,' meaning hill. So the real picture is a fortified hill, not a hare's meadow.
Meaning & Origin of Harlow
Meaning: A hill fortified or used by an army — though the first element is disputed and may instead mean 'rock'.
Origin: Old English (place name/surname).
A common claim: Baby-name sites often gloss Harlow as 'meadow of the hare' or 'hare meadow.' Actually: That's not the attested etymology — Harlow actually derives from Old English words for 'army' or 'rock' plus 'hill' (hlaw), not 'hare' plus 'meadow' (leah).
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Harlow
Phonetic: HAR-loh IPA: /ˈhɑːrloʊ/
Popularity of Harlow
In Social Security data going back to 1882, Harlow hit its peak at #237 in 2021, with 1,278 babies given the name that year, and has since eased to #293 in 2024 with 1,079.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1882–2024.
Make Harlow Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Harlow, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Harlow mean?
A hill fortified or used by an army — though the first element is disputed and may instead mean ‘rock’. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Harlow)
How do you pronounce Harlow?
Harlow is pronounced HAR-loh (IPA: /ˈhɑːrloʊ/).
Is Harlow a popular name right now?
Harlow peaked at #237 in 2021 and is ranked #293 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1882–2024.)
📊 How popular is Harlow? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
🎲 Think you know your baby names? Take the quiz!
🎨 Get Printable Name Art for Harlow
Beautiful nursery-ready 8×10" print with name & meaning
Preview & Download →More Baby Name Inspiration
📱 The Baby Names app is here
Swipe names, match with your partner the moment you both say yes, and claim a free Name Art print of your winner. Free to download. See all our apps →
