Arlo

Of disputed etymology, possibly derived from an old English place name or an alteration of Harlow. The name hovered on the margins of American birth rolls for most of the twentieth century before parents rediscovered it in the twenty-tens. It functions today as a concise, two-syllable revival that requires no nickname.

The name suggests wooden toys, canvas overalls, and a household that owns at least three house plants in macrame hangers. It has shed almost all of its midcentury folk-festival weight in favor of playground utility. Nearly nine out of ten living bearers belong to Generation Alpha. An Arlo is statistically likely to still be learning long division.