Arlo

Arlo first appeared in English literature in the late sixteenth century in Edmund Spenser’s epic poem The Faerie Queene. In the poem the name refers to Arlo Hill, a mythological place where the gods are said to gather and debate. Because of this literary origin, the name is sometimes interpreted as having Old English roots connected with the idea of strength or enduring energy.

Although the word itself was not widely used as a personal name at the time, it later began appearing as a given name in English-speaking countries. The name gained broader recognition in the twentieth century, particularly after the rise of American folk singer Arlo Guthrie. Since then Arlo has become a recognizable modern English name used in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and other English-speaking regions. In modern usage the name is primarily masculine, but in recent years it has also occasionally appeared among girls.