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Um, I remember liking it in the early 00s, but now it sounds ugly on both genders to me.

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But it's never sounded exclusively to masculine me because of names like Logan (I've only known femme ones), Harper, Harlow, and even Harriet.

This message was edited 7/27/2019, 4:08 PM

It is fine for a girl: I do not have a personal gender association with this name.

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What is it that "sounds all male"?

Harlan Ellison

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All I can think of.

I could see Harland as unisex, but Harlan seems masculine to me.
At least it wasn't Harlyn though... I think Harlan is better than Harlyn, and even a bit better than Harley.

It doesn't seem very feminine but it fits with the trends for sure. I could see it becoming popular.

Nope, don't like it at all on a girl. But I can see it rising for them, with so many surnames being used as unisex names, and with the popularity of Harlow and Harper. But those I can imagine for a girl, Harlan feels completely unfeminine to me.

sorry I dont like it for a girl, not too bad for a boy

I've never heard of this name, I think it's fine on a girl but I don't like it (Harland or Holland would be better). It sounds too much like harlot, Harley (motorcycles), or harlequin. Not great associations in my book.

This message was edited 7/26/2019, 1:40 PM

Harlan screams good ol' country boy to me so it's very difficult to imagine on a girl.

No. I don't even like it on a boy. The "Har" beginning makes it sound…harsh.

This message was edited 7/26/2019, 1:08 PM

It looks like it has been picking up for girls since like 2008.

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https://www.behindthename.com/top/beyond.php?name=Harlan

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TBH it reminded me of this article I posted on my facebook months ago-- KFC asked parents to name their children born on September 9 'Harland' after the Colonel and one of them won $11,000 (https://people.com/food/kfc-colonel-sanders-name-contest-baby-girl/). Silly.

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The Har- sound is ugly to me, so I don't like it.