Where does the name Arthur come from?

Arthur is a boy name of Celtic origin.

Is Arthur a boy or a girl name?

Arthur is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Arthur are girls and 99% are boys.

How popular is the name Arthur in 2023?

Arthur ranks #130 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1921 with 10,579 babies.

How do you pronounce Arthur?

Arthur is pronounced AR-thur (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Arthur?

Arthur is also written as Artur, Arturo.

A name from Celtic · Boy

Arthur

The name of the legendary British king. Most likely Brythonic, from arto- ("bear") plus a second element variously read as "man" or as Latin Artorius — leaving the literal sense debated since the Middle Ages.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

541,548 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

2,832 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

AThe name of the legendary British king. Most likely Brythonic, from arto- ("bear") plus a second element variously read as "man" or as Latin Artorius — leaving the literal sense debated since the Middle Ages.

Variants & spellings

2 ways to spell "Arthur".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Artur Most common Arturo

Quick answers

People often ask about Arthur.

What does the name Arthur mean?: Arthur means the name of the legendary British king. Most likely Brythonic, from arto- ("bear") plus a second element variously read as "man" or as Latin Artorius — leaving the literal sense debated since the Middle Ages.
Where does the name Arthur come from?: Arthur is a boy name of Celtic origin.
Is Arthur a boy or a girl name?: Arthur is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Arthur are girls and 99% are boys.
How popular is the name Arthur in 2023?: Arthur ranks #130 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1921 with 10,579 babies.
How do you pronounce Arthur?: Arthur is pronounced AR-thur (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Arthur?: Arthur is also written as Artur, Arturo.

Similar names

If you love Arthur, also consider…

Sabrina

#396

Girl ·Celtic

From the Latinized Celtic name Sabrina, the Roman name for the River Severn in England

Alana

#185

Girl ·Celtic

Generally read as the feminine of Alan (see Alan)

Anthony

#46

Boy ·Latin

Priceless; highly praiseworthy

Andrew

#65

Boy ·Greek

Manly, strong, courageous

From Old English æsc ('ash tree') + lēah ('wood, clearing') — literally 'ash tree meadow'

Amy

#199

Girl ·French

From Old French Amee, 'beloved', from Latin amata ('loved')

Angela

#255

Girl ·Greek

Feminine of Latin Angelus, from Greek ἄγγελος (ángelos), "messenger" — the same root as "angel

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.