How to say it
SKAR · lit
ˈskɑr.lət
Feminine
Scarlett
Bright red
What it means
From the medieval English word for a kind of expensive bright-red dyed cloth (also called 'scarlet'). The occupational surname Scarlett described a dyer or seller of red fabrics.
Scarlett was rarely used as a first name before Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind (1936) and the 1939 film made Scarlett O'Hara a literary fixture. Scarlett Johansson's career from the 2000s gave the name renewed modern visibility, and the 2010s revival pushed Scarlett into the US top twenty for girls. The single-T spelling Scarlet is also used, but the double-T form following the Mitchell character has stayed dominant.
How to spell Scarlett
The standard spelling is Scarlett. Common variants include Scarlet, Scarlette, but Scarlett is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #14 in 2022, currently #32 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
Gone with the Wind's Scarlett O'Hara and Scarlett Johansson are the two strongest associations. Both heavy presences.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Scarlett O'Hara Heroine of Gone with the Wind, 1939
- Scarlett Johansson Actress, Marvel's Black Widow and Marriage Story
Spelling variants
- Scarlet
- Scarlette
Names with the same feeling
See Scarlett from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Scarlett mean?
- From the medieval English word for a kind of expensive bright-red dyed cloth (also called 'scarlet'). The occupational surname Scarlett described a dyer or seller of red fabrics.
- What does Scarlett mean in English?
- In English, Scarlett means "Bright red." Scarlett was rarely used as a first name before Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind (1936) and the 1939 film made Scarlett O'Hara a literary fixture. Scarlett Johansson's career from the 2000s gave the name renewed modern visibility, and the 2010s revival pushed Scarlett into the US top twenty for girls. The single-T spelling Scarlet is also used, but the double-T form following the Mitchell character has stayed dominant.
- How do you pronounce Scarlett?
- Scarlett is pronounced ˈskɑr.lət. Say it as SKAR-lit, with the stress on the "skar" syllable.
- How do you spell Scarlett?
- The standard spelling is Scarlett. Common spelling variants include Scarlet, Scarlette.
- Is Scarlett a boy or girl name?
- Scarlett is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Scarlett?
- Scarlett ranked #32 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.