Arlette

Arlette is a feminine first name that represents an old French form of the Germanic name Herleva. In a figurative sense, the name means 'the noble warrior' or 'the heir of the war leader'.

What does the name Arlette mean?

Arlette is a feminine first name that is regarded as an old French variant of the Germanic name Herleva. It has a deeper meaning that encompasses 'the noble warrior' or 'the heir of the war leader'. The origin of the name lies in Old High German and consists of the elements hari or heri, which means 'the army', 'the war band', 'the war leader', or 'the warrior', and erl, which describes 'the free', 'the noble', 'the highborn', or 'the nobleman'. The second element could also derive from leiba, which means 'the heir', 'the legacy', or 'the descendant'. The name became known through the French actress Arletty (Arlette-Léonie Bathiat). Variants include Arlett, Arletta, Arlet, Arleth, and Arleta.

Where does the name Arlette come from?

The name Arlette has Old High German roots and means 'the noble warrior' or 'the legacy of the war leader'. The word components come from Old High German: hari or heri stands for 'the army', 'the war band', 'the war leader', or 'the warrior', while erl stands for 'the free', 'the noble', 'the highborn', 'the nobleman', or 'the count'. Another component could be leiba, which means 'the heir', 'the legacy', or 'the offspring'. The name is used in Old French, English, and French.

How do you pronounce Arlette?

The pronunciation of Arlette is two syllables and features a fine consonant structure. In German, the name is typically pronounced as 'Ar-let-te' [aʁˈlɛtə]. It begins with an open 'Ar', which conveys a certain spaciousness. The stressed middle syllable '-let-' is clear and bright due to the 'e'. The final '-te' sounds soft and is pronounced slightly shortened. This makes Arlette appear stylish and harmonious – elegant in structure and gentle in sound.

When is the name day of Arlette?

The name day of Arlette is celebrated on July 17.

Popularity

In Germany, Arlette is a common first name, currently ranking 4,045th in the list of the most popular female baby names. Its best placement was in 1935 when it reached 132nd place. In the last ten years, Arlette has been given as a first name about 40 times, placing it 4,320th in the ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, it ranks 4,368th.

Nicknames & pet names

Arle / Arli / Ballett / Lettchen / Lette / Letti / Raclette

Famous people

• Arlette Ben Hamo (* 1930, after marriage Arlette Moynié), French athlete
• Arlette Cousture (Canadian writer)
• Arlette Hecquet (singer from Germany)
• Arlette Laguiller (* 1940), French politician (Lutte Ouvrière)
• Arlette Marchal (1902–1984), French actress
• Arlette Poirier (actress from France)
• Arlette Schneiders (Luxembourgish architect)
• Arlette Schnyder (historian from Switzerland)
• Arlette Sterckx (Belgian actress)
• Arlette van Weersel (Dutch chess player)
• Arlette Zola (Swiss singer)