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Boy name · Celtic

Arthur

Name meaning, origin and popularity

: of uncertain Celtic origin

Arthur is a boy's name that comes from Celtic and means "of uncertain Celtic origin". It is used in English and French.

Meaning
Of uncertain Celtic origin
Origin
Celtic
Gender
Boy
US rank
#87 in 2025

Meaning and origin of Arthur

As a boy's name, Arthur comes from Celtic and means "of uncertain Celtic origin". It is used in English and French.

Arthur is also a surname: the 1,264th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 27,204 people. See the most common last names.

Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names

Arthur on Nomezo lists

What our editors wrote about Arthur on 4 lists.

  • “The legendary king, for a cat who rules the round table”

    From Boy cat names, myth and legend names for boy cats

  • “Kingly and kind, with Artie as a nickname”

    From Boy dog names, human names for boy dogs

  • “Possibly Celtic for bear; the legendary King Arthur. Back in the US top 100 in 2025”

    From Classic boy names, royal and noble boy names

  • “Meaning unknown, perhaps bear; Celtic. #17 in 1910 and back in the top 100”

    From Old man names, grandpa names coming back for babies

How popular is Arthur?

US rank in 2025
#87
3,847 babies, 2,252 per million boys
Best rank
#14 in 1880
Most babies: 10,527 in 1921
Babies since 1880
At least 548,729
Years with under 5 are not listed
1880s1900s1920s1940s1960s1980s2000s2020s
Babies per million US boys, by decade (the 2020s so far, to 2025). Highest in the 1880s, at 14,771 per million.
Babies named Arthur per million US boys, by decade; highest in the 1880s
1880s14,771 per million
1890s14,329 per million
1900s11,350 per million
1910s10,109 per million
1920s8,813 per million
1930s6,410 per million
1940s4,969 per million
1950s3,251 per million
1960s2,057 per million
1970s1,338 per million
1980s910 per million
1990s605 per million
2000s418 per million
2010s672 per million
2020s1,691 per million
US rank by year
Year2016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Rank#273#245#229#177#163#155#140#130#105#87

Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.

Nicknames for Arthur

Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.

  • Artth becomes t: Arthur, Art
  • Artiecommon English nickname

Names spelled like Arthur

One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.

  • ArcherBowman (Old French, boy)

Names with a similar meaning

  • MiriamForm of Mary, meaning uncertain; perhaps Egyptian beloved (Hebrew, girl)
  • AlanMeaning uncertain; perhaps little rock, or from the Alans (Brythonic, boy)
  • MariaGreek and Latin form of Miriam, of uncertain meaning (Hebrew, girl)
  • XimenaFeminine of Ximeno, a medieval Spanish name of uncertain meaning (Spanish, girl)
  • AikateriniGreek form of Katherine, of debated origin (Greek, girl)
  • AlannaFeminine form of Alan; uncertain, perhaps little rock (Brythonic, girl)
  • ÁlvaroA Spanish name of Germanic origin (Germanic, boy)
  • AmariMeaning uncertain, perhaps from Arabic Ammar (Arabic, unisex)
  • AntoniosFrom the Roman family name Antonius, of unknown origin (Latin, boy)
  • ArloMeaning uncertain; perhaps from Spenser's Arlo Hill (English, boy)

Middle names for Arthur

Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.

  • HeathMoorland (English, boy)
  • HenryHome ruler (Germanic, boy)
  • KnoxRound hill (Old English, boy)
  • LeviJoined, attached (Hebrew, boy)
  • PeterRock, stone (Greek, boy)
  • RhysArdor, enthusiasm (Welsh, boy)
  • RowanLittle red one (Irish Gaelic, unisex)
  • ShaneGod is gracious (Hebrew, boy)

More boy names from Celtic

  • BranA raven (Celtic, boy)
  • ArdenHigh (Celtic, unisex)
  • TudurKing of the people (Celtic, boy)

Arthur: common questions

What does the name Arthur mean?

Arthur comes from Celtic and means "of uncertain Celtic origin".

Is Arthur a boy or girl name?

Arthur is mainly a boy's name.

What are nicknames for Arthur?

Common nicknames for Arthur include Art and Artie.

How popular is the name Arthur?

Arthur ranked #87 in the US in 2025, with 3,847 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

What names are similar to Arthur?

Names spelled like Arthur include Archer.

What middle names go with Arthur?

Middle names that flow well with Arthur include Heath, Henry, Knox, Levi and Peter. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.