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Harlow

Girl / Boy name · 441 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Harlow: 441 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to both boys and girls, peaking at 61 births in 2022.

Harlow began as an English surname and place name, derived from the Old English “hoer” (rock) and “hlaw” (hill), meaning “rocky hill” or, alternatively, from “here” (army) plus “hlaw” (mound). Its most famous bearer is the glamorous 1930s actress Jean Harlow, whose platinum-blonde persona defined Hollywood’s Golden Age. The name also belongs to Harlow in Essex, a post-war new town built on the site of an ancient market village. Though historically a surname for both sexes, Harlow has risen sharply in modern Scotland as a stylish feminine first name, often paired with similar-sounding choices like Harper.