Arlene is an early-20th-century American name — possibly the feminine of Arlen (Irish, "pledge, oath") or a variant of Charlene / Marlene. A top-50 US baby name from 1930 to 1948, peaking at #34 in 1936. Arlene Francis (1907-2001) — *American actress and TV personality; the longest-serving panelist on CBS's What's My Line? (1950-1967), appearing for the entire 17-year run of the original network series — one of the most-watched game shows in American television history; instantly recognizable for the heart-shaped diamond necklace she wore on every broadcast; pioneered women's presence on early American television. Arlene Dahl (1925-2021) — American actress and businesswoman; Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959); MGM glamour star of the 1950s; mother of actor Lorenzo Lamas. Arlene Phillips (born 1943) — British choreographer; founder of the dance troupe Hot Gossip; judge on Strictly Come Dancing*; Dame Commander (2021). Arlene Foster (born 1970) — former First Minister of Northern Ireland (2016-2021); first woman to lead the Democratic Unionist Party. "Good Night, My Someone" and the name's vintage warmth make it a revival candidate alongside Marlene and Darlene.
Featured throughout early American television and 20th-century culture.
Arlene does not currently appear in the US Social Security Administration's top 1,000 girls' names, so we don't publish a US rank or birth count for it. That says nothing about the name's standing elsewhere in the world — only that it sits outside the ranked US data we rely on.
In Pythagorean numerology the letters of Arlene reduce to 1, The Leader. This is a traditional interpretive system, not a factual claim about the name.