Arnold
Arnold: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈɑːnəld/ · /ˈɑɹnəld/
Meaning and origin of Arnold
Root meaning: “eagle”
- A male given name from the Germanic languages brought to England by Normans.
Etymology
From a French version of a Germanic name, from Proto-West Germanic *Arnuwald, from Proto-Germanic *arô (“eagle”) + *waldą (“power”). For the first part of the word doublet of erne, ornis, and ornitho-. Compare the Latin male given name and cognomen Aquila, and female given name Aquilīna (whence Russian Акули́на (Akulína)), related to aquila (whence eagle).
How popular is Arnold?
Since 1880, 550 girls and 103,846 boys in the U.S. have been named Arnold (1% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #1767 in 1929. Its highest rank for boys was #89 in 1916. In 2025, 120 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Names similar to Arnold
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
Arnold FAQ
What does the name Arnold mean?
Arnold traces back to a root meaning "eagle". A male given name from the Germanic languages brought to England by Normans. From a French version of a Germanic name, from Proto-West Germanic *Arnuwald, from Proto-Germanic *arô (“eagle”) + *waldą (“power”). For the first part of the word doublet of erne, ornis, and ornitho-. Compare the Latin male given name and cognomen Aquila, and female given name Aquilīna (whence Russian Акули́на (Akulína)), related to aquila (whence eagle).
What is the origin of the name Arnold?
Arnold is listed as a name of Germanic languages brought to England by origin.
How popular is the name Arnold?
Since 1880, 550 girls and 103,846 boys in the U.S. have been named Arnold (1% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #1767 in 1929. Its highest rank for boys was #89 in 1916. In 2025, 120 babies were given the name, outside the top 1,000.
Is Arnold a boy or girl name?
Arnold is mostly a boy name in the U.S.: 550 girls and 103,846 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.