Boy name · Celtic
Arthur
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: of uncertain Celtic originArthur 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
| 1880s | 14,771 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 14,329 per million |
| 1900s | 11,350 per million |
| 1910s | 10,109 per million |
| 1920s | 8,813 per million |
| 1930s | 6,410 per million |
| 1940s | 4,969 per million |
| 1950s | 3,251 per million |
| 1960s | 2,057 per million |
| 1970s | 1,338 per million |
| 1980s | 910 per million |
| 1990s | 605 per million |
| 2000s | 418 per million |
| 2010s | 672 per million |
| 2020s | 1,691 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
More boy names from Celtic
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.

