Every Boy Name

Boy's name

Arthur

Say it AR-thur 2 syllables

Celtic · “probably bear”

Loved in France, England and Wales, Quebec, and Northern Ireland. Common in the Netherlands, Ontario, Austria, and 16 more places. Rare in Italy, Poland, Israel, and 4 more places.

1 in 85 boys born in England and Wales in 2025. Number 5 there.

Arthur in every place

Rank, count and share in all 40 places: loved in 4, common in 19, rare in 7.
Arthur in every place we hold figures for
Place Rankyear Boysshare 5 years earlier
British Isles
England and Wales5 (down)20253,2111 in 8532020
Scotland19 (up)20251581 in 124312020
Northern Ireland9 (up)20251011 in 82212020
Ireland57 (up)2025951 in 250642020
North America
Ontario (province)50 (up)2024206about 1 in 291922019
Quebec (province)4 (up)2025482about 1 in 60102020
British Columbia (province)27 (up)202369about 1 in 1891392018
Nova Scotia (province)Not in the published top 212025Not listed2020
Oceania
New South Wales (state)19 (up)2025227442020
Victoria (state)22 (up)2025203462020
Queensland (state)11 (up)2025223262020
South Australia (state)21 (up)202552292020
New Zealand11 (up)2025145312020
Western Europe
France7 (down)20252,8751 in 10542020
Netherlands81 (up)2025181about 1 in 3681002020
Central Europe
Austria62 (down)20251291 in 295612020
Switzerland25 (up)20251681 in 214302020
Berlin (city)44 (down)202364about 1 in 242332018
Munich (city)55 (up)202523about 1 in 190772020
Cologne (city)141 (down)20239about 1 in 7091192018
Bonn (city)72 (down)20258about 1 in 396632020
Leipzig (city)11202525about 1 in 115112020
Rostock (city)96 (down)20252about 1 in 52482020
Nordic countries
Norway83 (down)2025821 in 284742020
Sweden108 (up)202597about 1 in 4451242020
Denmark12 (down)202540982020
FinlandNot in the published top 502025No list2020
IcelandNot in the published top 102025No list2020
Southern Europe
SpainNot in the published top 1002024Not listed2019
Catalonia (region)480 (down)202561 in 3,4514212020
Italy309 (new in the list)2024421 in 4,509Not listed2019
Central and Eastern Europe
Poland292 (down)2025141 in 9,0292782020
HungaryNot in the published top 1002025Not listed2020
SloveniaRare: below the complete list2025Not listed2020
EstoniaNot in the published top 272025Not listed2020
Moscow (city)Not in the published top 612025Not listed2020
CroatiaNot in the published top 502025No list2020
Middle East
TurkeyNot in the published top 302025Not listed2020
IsraelRare: below the complete list2024Not listed2019
Latin America
ArgentinaNot in the published top 202024Not listed2019

Germany publishes no national list; the German rows are city registers. About: the publisher leaves out its smallest names, so the share is approximate. ▲ and ▼ compare the rank with five years earlier. Not listed five years earlier: not in that year’s list. No list: the place published no list that year. How these figures are computed.

About the name

The legendary British king gave Arthur its fame. It probably comes from the Welsh arth, 'bear', though scholars have also suggested a Welsh compound of 'bear' and 'man' or a Latin family name such as Artorius. The meaning is best given as probably 'bear'.

2 more paragraphs

It has two syllables, AR-thur, and a sturdy, old-fashioned sound. The obvious short form is Art, and related forms include Artie, Arty and Artur.

Arthur has made a strong return. It ranks near the top in Quebec, England and Wales, Northern Ireland and France, and is well liked in Denmark and Switzerland. French records show it peaking only in recent years, and it is still rising in many more places than it is falling.

Meaning, origin and how to say it

Say it
AR-thur · 2 syllables · Stress on beat 1 of 2.
Meaning
“probably bear” (hedged in the source)
Origin
Celtic
Related names
Artur, Art, Artie, Arty, Arthurus, Arcturus, Arturus, Aurther, Arto, Arturo, Artair, Ats, Artus
Where Arthur comes from (Wiktionary)

From the name of the legendary king, from Middle English Arthure, from Medieval Latin Arthurus, probably from Middle Welsh arth (“bear”). Other suggestions include Old Welsh arth (“bear”) and ur (“man”), or a Latinized (Romano-British) name; compare Latin Artorius, itself possibly of Etruscan origin, or more likely Messapic-Illyrian related to Proto-Albanian *artsa (“bear”).

Shortened from the Wiktionary entry for Arthur. Text available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Arthur over time

Rising in 9 of the 26 regions we can compare over five years, falling in 2. Peak in France: 2019.

Rank in England and Wales, 1996 to 2025

Arthur in England and Wales: #234 in 1996, a peak of #3 in 2020, and #5 in 2025.

#1#10#50#100#300200020052010201520202025Top 101996: #234, 129 boys1997: #221, 143 boys1998: #201, 162 boys1999: #178, 193 boys2000: #201, 161 boys2001: #182, 193 boys2002: #185, 191 boys2003: #168, 233 boys2004: #151, 303 boys2005: #135, 375 boys2006: #120, 454 boys2007: #135, 402 boys2008: #101, 608 boys2009: #93, 712 boys2010: #82, 786 boys2011: #68, 961 boys2012: #52, 1,310 boys2013: #43, 1,559 boys2014: #41, 1,649 boys2015: #37, 1,966 boys2016: #30, 2,270 boys2017: #19, 2,795 boys2018: #7, 3,644 boys2019: #4, 4,211 boys2020: #3, 4,052 boys2021: #4, 3,766 boys2022: #6, 3,603 boys2023: #6, 3,387 boys2024: #4, 3,368 boys2025: #5, 3,211 boys#234 in 1996peak #3, 2020#5in 2025
Show the numbers
YearRankBoys
1996234129
1997221143
1998201162
1999178193
2000201161
2001182193
2002185191
2003168233
2004151303
2005135375
2006120454
2007135402
2008101608
200993712
201082786
201168961
2012521,310
2013431,559
2014411,649
2015371,966
2016302,270
2017192,795
201873,644
201944,211
202034,052
202143,766
202263,603
202363,387
202443,368
202553,211

Source: Office for National Statistics (OGL v3)

The long view: in France

Half of the boys named Arthur in France since 1925 were born in or after 2008. Peak: 2019, about 1,124 per 100,000 boys. Babies per 100,000 boys, five-year periods.

1925-1929: 120.4 per 100,000 boys1930-1934: 82.5 per 100,000 boys1935-1939: 61.1 per 100,000 boys1940-1944: 38.1 per 100,000 boys19401945-1949: 19.9 per 100,000 boys1950-1954: 11.8 per 100,000 boys1955-1959: 10.3 per 100,000 boys1960-1964: 9.9 per 100,000 boys19601965-1969: 8.7 per 100,000 boys1970-1974: 14.1 per 100,000 boys1975-1979: 21.1 per 100,000 boys1980-1984: 38.4 per 100,000 boys19801985-1989: 188.9 per 100,000 boys1990-1994: 452.6 per 100,000 boys1995-1999: 710.9 per 100,000 boys2000-2004: 880.1 per 100,000 boys20002005-2009: 905.9 per 100,000 boys2010-2014: 1,030.6 per 100,000 boys2015-2019: 1,005.9 per 100,000 boys2020-2024: 996.6 per 100,000 boys20202025: 949.8 per 100,000 boys20252010-2014: about 1 in 97 boys
Show the numbers
YearsPer 100,000 boys
1925–1929120.4
1930–193482.5
1935–193961.1
1940–194438.1
1945–194919.9
1950–195411.8
1955–195910.3
1960–19649.9
1965–19698.7
1970–197414.1
1975–197921.1
1980–198438.4
1985–1989188.9
1990–1994452.6
1995–1999710.9
2000–2004880.1
2005–2009905.9
2010–20141,030.6
2015–20191,005.9
2020–2024996.6
2025949.8

Source: INSEE, Fichier des prénoms (édition 2025) (Licence Ouverte / Etalab 2.0). Dark bar: the period holding the median birth year.

Brothers and middle names for Arthur

Brother names

Names that rose and fell with Arthur, from the same generation, with no clashing sounds.

  1. 1 in 62, Poland

  2. 1 in 67, Northern Ireland

  3. 1 in 97, England and Wales

  4. 1 in 113, England and Wales

  5. 1 in 255, Scotland

  6. 1 in 136, Northern Ireland

  7. 1 in 50, Ireland

  8. 1 in 124, Ireland

  9. 1 in 25, Poland

  10. 1 in 112, Northern Ireland

All 40 brother names for Arthur

Middle names

Scored for rhythm against Arthur's 2 syllables and for long, steady use.

  1. 1 in 50, Ireland

  2. 1 in 61, Northern Ireland

  3. 1 in 103, England and Wales

  4. 1 in 62, Poland

  5. 1 in 86, England and Wales

  6. 1 in 88, England and Wales

  7. 1 in 137, Scotland

  8. 1 in 224, Northern Ireland

Full-name check

Arthur Jack

Syllables 2-1Initials A.J.No sound clashes between the parts.

All 40 middle names for Arthur

Sisters for Arthur: Anna, Eva, Grace, and 5 more
  1. AnnaRose and fell with Arthur · Same generation as Arthur · Same initial as Arthur
  2. EvaRose and fell with Arthur · Same generation as Arthur
  3. GraceRose and fell with Arthur · Same generation as Arthur
  4. SophiaRose and fell with Arthur · Same generation as Arthur
  5. LilyRose and fell with Arthur · Same generation as Arthur
  6. EllaRose and fell with Arthur · Same generation as Arthur
  7. EmmaRose and fell with Arthur · Same generation as Arthur
  8. LucyRose and fell with Arthur · Same generation as Arthur

Girls' names from the same engine, over the girls' lists of the same publishers.

Moved with Arthur

The boy names whose popularity rose and fell most like Arthur's across every region and decade we hold.

  1. Common in England and Wales, the Netherlands, Austria, and 12 more places.

  2. Common across the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, and 9 more places.

  3. Rare in France, Italy, Poland, and 9 more places.

  4. Common in France, the Netherlands, Sweden, and 14 more places.

  5. Common across England and Wales, three Canadian provinces, the Netherlands, and 12 more places.

  6. Rare across the UK, Italy, Poland, and 15 more places.

  7. Loved across France, the UK, Canada, and 16 more places.

  8. Rare in France, Italy, Poland, and 17 more places.

Famous people named Arthur

Arthur Conan Doyle, Arthur Schopenhauer, and 6 more

From Wikidata, ranked by how many Wikipedia language editions have an article on them. People: Wikidata (CC0). Links go to Wikipedia in this page's language when an article exists, else English.

Questions about Arthur

How popular is Arthur in England and Wales?

Arthur ranked #5 in England and Wales in 2025, given to 3,211 boys, about 1 in 85.

Is Arthur rising in popularity?

In some places: it is rising in more of them than it is falling. Rising in 9 of the 26 regions we can compare over five years, falling in 2. Rising in: New Zealand, British Columbia, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and 4 other regions.

What does Arthur mean?

Arthur means “probably bear”, according to Wiktionary. The dictionary itself marks this meaning as uncertain.

How many syllables does Arthur have?

Arthur has 2 syllables: AR-thur.

Every rank and count on this page comes from an official birth register. How these figures are computed.

Meanings, origins and people: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikidata (CC0).

The 42 birth registers behind these figures

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Kept names collect here.

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