Arlo
Irish or English
“between two hills”
Mostly boys · Latin
“happy, fortunate”
Say it as FEE-liks in English, it is said as FEH-liks in German, Swedish and Dutch, and as FEH-leeks in LatinPronunciation may vary by region.
A little maybe, saved for later.
The story behind the name
Felix is one of those ancient but nontraditional names for boys that have come into favor over the past few decades, a favorite of parents who want a masculine name with history and heft that breaks ranks with the standard Franks and Freds. Felix is also an international darling, ranking in the Top 100 in several European and English-speaking countries.
Felix was originally a Roman surname but was adopted as a nickname by the ancient Roman Sulla, who believed that he was especially blessed with luck by the gods. It is the name of four popes and sixty-seven saints; in the Bible, Felix is a Roman procurator of Judea.
Felix, energetic and upbeat with a felicitous meaning, has finally transcended its negative associations to Felix The Cat and the persnickety Felix Unger.
A little perspective
Recorded US births over time
| Year | Category | US rank | Births |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Boys | 175 | 2,064 |
| 2025 | Girls | 9,667 | 10 |
| 2024 | Boys | 179 | 2,090 |
| 2024 | Girls | 9,788 | 10 |
| 2023 | Boys | 193 | 1,899 |
| 2023 | Girls | 12,568 | 7 |
| 2022 | Boys | 193 | 1,974 |
| 2022 | Girls | 10,643 | 9 |
| 2021 | Boys | 194 | 1,959 |
| 2021 | Girls | 7,758 | 14 |
| 2020 | Boys | 225 | 1,668 |
| 2020 | Girls | 9,790 | 10 |
| 2019 | Boys | 222 | 1,693 |
| 2019 | Girls | 7,132 | 16 |
| 2018 | Boys | 228 | 1,657 |
| 2018 | Girls | 8,293 | 13 |
| 2017 | Boys | 246 | 1,513 |
| 2017 | Girls | 7,986 | 14 |
| 2016 | Boys | 247 | 1,511 |
| 2016 | Girls | 12,134 | 8 |
| 2015 | Boys | 264 | 1,377 |
| 2015 | Girls | 7,081 | 17 |
| 2014 | Boys | 267 | 1,379 |
| 2014 | Girls | 17,401 | 5 |
Rankings are calculated separately for boys and girls. Records below the publication threshold may be missing; gaps are not zero births.
No nicknames are listed yet. The name can stand beautifully on its own.
Keep the possibilities coming
More names with a similar feeling or shared roots.
Irish or English
“between two hills”
Celtic
“bear”
German form of Latin Augustus
“great, magnificent”
Place name
“white”
Hebrew
“help”
Irish, Scandinavian, Norse
“fair, white; from Finland”