The first nameArthur
A boy’s name meaning “bear”, “man”.
Pronounced /ˈɑɹθɚ/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Arthur means “bear”, “man”.
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”).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 3,211 boys were named Arthur, making it the 5th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2019, with 4,211 births (#4).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Arthur with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Arthur at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 3,847 boys born in the United States were named Arthur, the 87th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1921, when 10,527 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Arthur in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Arthur in Danish, Dutch, French, German, Norwegian and Welsh too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Arthur
729 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Arthur Conan DoyleBritish writer and physician (1859–1930)
- Arthur RimbaudFrench poet (1854-1891)
- Arthur C. ClarkeBritish science fiction writer, inventor, and futurist (1917–2008)
- Arthur MillerAmerican playwright and essayist (1915–2005)
- Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of WellingtonBritish Field Marshal, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 1828–1830, 1834 (1769-1852)
- Arthur BalfourBritish Prime Minister, Conservative politician, and statesman (1848-1930)
- Arthur Holly ComptonAmerican physicist (1892–1962)
- Arthur SchnitzlerAustrian writer (1862–1931)
- Donald Arthur GlaserAmerican physicist and neurobiologist (1926–2013)
- Arthur EddingtonBritish astrophysicist (1882-1944)
- Arthur Leonard SchawlowAmerican physicist, 1921–1999
- Arthur AshkinAmerican physicist (1922-2020)
Questions
- What does the name Arthur mean?
- Arthur means “bear”, “man”.
- How popular is the name Arthur?
- In 2025, 3,211 boys born in England and Wales were named Arthur, ranking 5th. Its peak was 2019, with 4,211 births.
- What are nicknames for Arthur?
- Common nicknames for Arthur include Art, Artie, Arty, Arfie.