Namewise

Arlo vs Rex

Arlo and Rexcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Arlo was ranked #15 and Rex #216 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Arlo was ranked #18 and Rex #382 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Arlo was ranked #48 and Rex #520 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2022, Arlo was ranked #62 and Rex #352 among boys in Northern Ireland.

Arlo and Rex over time

Arlo and Rex appear together in 2 published lists, across 38 years of shared records. Arlo held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Rex in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Rex reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Arlo in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Arlo #14 in 2023, Rex #142 in 2021.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Boys26 shared years, 19992024

    Arlo held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Rex in 4.

    Highest recorded here: Arlo #14 in 2023, Rex #142 in 2021.

    The order changed in 2004: Arlo moved ahead. In 2003 they stood at #1188 and #865; by 2004 that had become #875 and #1038.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Arlo #15, Rex #216.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 20092024

    Arlo held the stronger position in 12 of those years, Rex in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Arlo #48 in 2024, Rex #516 in 2023.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Arlo #48, Rex #520.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Arlo, Rex
FieldArloRex
Record typeEditorially researched profileOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningMeaning uncertain — likely derived by Edmund Spenser from the real Irish place name Aherlow ('between two highlands') for the fictional Arlo Hill in The Faerie Queene (1590).Not yet recorded
OriginIrish (place name origin, via literary adaptation)Not yet recorded
Pronunciation/ˈɑɹ.loʊ/
Syllables21
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #47 (2025)England and Wales · Boys #216 (2024)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Arlo has a recorded origin (Irish (place name origin, via literary adaptation)); Rex does not have one recorded yet.
  • Arlo has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Rex.
  • A meaning is recorded for Arlo; Rex doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Arlo

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1999

    First recorded at #2943 among boys in England and Wales in 1999 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    England and Wales · Boys

  2. Highest recorded2013–2023

    Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in New Zealand, in 2017 (recorded 2013–2023).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #47 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

Rex

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1954

    First recorded at #64 among boys in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1954–1960

    Highest recorded position: #64 among boys in New Zealand, in 1954 (recorded 1954–1960).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #216 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Boys