Arlet is of French origin, derived from the Occitan word 'arletto', which means 'small noble'. This name has gained popularity as a unisex name, often used for girls, but it can also be used for boys in some cases. It is composed of two elements: 'ar' meaning 'little' or 'small', and '-let', a diminutive suffix. In the past few decades, Arlet has become more widely recognized as a given name due to its unique sound and elegant origin. Spelling variations include Arlette, Arlét, Arléte, and Arlett.
The name Arlet saw significant popularity increases starting from the late 1990s onwards. From 1997 to 2006, there were consistently high numbers of births each year, with a peak of 60 births in 2003 and another peak of 46 births in 2007. However, from 2008 onwards, the popularity of Arlet began to decline steadily until reaching an all-time low of 19 births in 2020. Despite this drop in popularity, there was a sudden resurgence in recent years, with record-breaking numbers of babies named Arlet born in 2021 (191 births) and 2022 (390 births), followed by an even higher number in 2023 (490 births).