Namewise

Arlo vs Spencer

Arlo and Spencercompared 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.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Arlo was ranked #12 and Spencer #71 among boys in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Arlo was ranked #15 and Spencer #210 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Arlo was ranked #18 and Spencer #160 among boys in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Arlo was ranked #45 and Spencer #256 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2025, Arlo was ranked #47 and Spencer #47 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Arlo was ranked #54 and Spencer #432 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2024, Arlo was ranked #1894 and Spencer #3695 among girls in England and Wales.

Arlo and Spencer over time

Arlo and Spencer appear together in 5 published lists, across 72 years of shared records. Arlo held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Spencer in 1.

The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Spencer reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Arlo in 1. 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.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 2014, Arlo moved ahead of Spencer in England and Wales · Boys — #189 and #160 the year before became #141 and #170.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Boys26 shared years, 19992024

    Arlo held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Spencer in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Arlo #14 in 2023, Spencer #90 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2014: Arlo moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #189 and #160; by 2014 that had become #141 and #170.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Arlo #15, Spencer #210.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys16 shared years, 20092025

    Arlo held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Spencer in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Arlo #48 in 2024, Spencer #280 in 2020.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Arlo #54, Spencer #432.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys13 shared years, 20112024

    Arlo held the stronger position in 11 of those years, Spencer in 1.

    Highest recorded here: Arlo #40 in 2023, Spencer #160 in 2019.

    The order changed in 2014: Arlo moved ahead. In 2013 they stood at #403 and #346; by 2014 that had become #281 and #398.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Arlo #45, Spencer #256.

  • England and Wales · Girls9 shared years, 20162024

    Arlo held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Spencer in 3.

    Highest recorded here: Arlo #1469 in 2023, Spencer #2286 in 2019.

    The order changed in 2020: Arlo moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #3541 and #2286; by 2020 that had become #2843 and #3447.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Arlo #1894, Spencer #3695.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys8 shared years, 20162025

    Arlo held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Spencer in 0.

    Highest recorded here: Arlo #19 in 2023, Spencer #47 in 2025.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Arlo #47, Spencer #47.

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, Spencer
FieldArloSpencer
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/Not yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #47 (2025)New South Wales, Australia · Boys #47 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/100Not yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)95/10082/100
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)); Spencer does not have one recorded yet.
  • Arlo and Spencer both have 2 syllables.
  • A meaning is recorded for Arlo; Spencer doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, 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

Spencer

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1970

    First recorded at #305 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1970 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

  2. Highest recorded2016–2025

    Highest recorded position: #47 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025 (recorded 2016–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

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

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys