Arthur
From the name of the legendary king, from Middle English Arthure, from Medieval Latin Arthurus, probably from Middle Welsh arth (“bear”).
Every Arthur since 1880 — 551,930 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Arthur
Arthur is a top-100 name for boys in the United States, ranked #87 in 2025 with 3,847 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 551,930 American babies have been named Arthur. Its peak came in 1921, when 10,579 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Arthur stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Arthur year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 3,847 | #87 |
| 2024 | 7 | #12,303 | 3,334 | #105 |
| 2023 | — | — | 2,832 | #130 |
| 2022 | — | — | 2,691 | #140 |
| 2021 | — | — | 2,477 | #155 |
| 2020 | — | — | 2,338 | #163 |
| 2019 | — | — | 2,193 | #177 |
| 2018 | — | — | 1,653 | #229 |
| 2017 | — | — | 1,514 | #245 |
| 2016 | 5 | #16,543 | 1,345 | #273 |
| 2015 | — | — | 1,247 | #292 |
| 2014 | — | — | 1,153 | #306 |
| 2013 | — | — | 1,034 | #321 |
| 2012 | — | — | 865 | #355 |
| 2011 | — | — | 893 | #339 |
| 2010 | — | — | 730 | #388 |
| 2009 | — | — | 812 | #374 |
| 2008 | — | — | 862 | #363 |
| 2007 | — | — | 819 | #375 |
| 2006 | — | — | 793 | #377 |
| 2005 | — | — | 830 | #356 |
| 2004 | — | — | 792 | #355 |
| 2003 | — | — | 795 | #351 |
| 2002 | — | — | 844 | #326 |
| 2001 | — | — | 881 | #319 |
| 2000 | — | — | 914 | #316 |
| 1995 | — | — | 1,113 | #254 |
| 1990 | 8 | #9,315 | 1,542 | #197 |
| 1985 | 17 | #4,469 | 1,716 | #158 |
| 1980 | 18 | #4,158 | 1,821 | #147 |
| 1975 | 22 | #3,166 | 2,022 | #128 |
| 1970 | 30 | #2,451 | 2,981 | #111 |
| 1965 | 34 | #1,995 | 3,779 | #96 |
| 1960 | 30 | #2,103 | 5,194 | #82 |
| 1955 | 34 | #1,805 | 6,570 | #56 |
| 1950 | 25 | #1,914 | 7,161 | #46 |
| 1945 | 32 | #1,421 | 6,802 | #34 |
| 1940 | 39 | #1,171 | 6,510 | #33 |
| 1935 | 43 | #1,056 | 6,547 | #29 |
| 1930 | 80 | #786 | 8,284 | #23 |
| 1925 | 78 | #841 | 9,986 | #20 |
| 1920 | 64 | #908 | 10,236 | #18 |
| 1915 | 38 | #1,096 | 8,564 | #18 |
| 1910 | 14 | #1,213 | 1,942 | #17 |
| 1905 | 14 | #1,017 | 1,505 | #16 |
| 1900 | 17 | #922 | 1,853 | #15 |
| 1895 | 8 | #1,206 | 1,666 | #14 |
| 1890 | 8 | #1,011 | 1,610 | #14 |
| 1885 | 10 | #699 | 1,516 | #15 |
| 1880 | 5 | #843 | 1,599 | #14 |
Famous people named Arthur
- Arthur Schopenhauer Philosopher · 1788–1860
- Arthur Conan Doyle Writer · 1859–1930
- Arthur Rimbaud Writer · 1854–1891
- Arthur C. Clarke Writer · 1917–2008
- Arthur Seyss-Inquart Politician · 1892–1946
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Arthur mean?
From the name of the legendary king, from Middle English Arthure, from Medieval Latin Arthurus, probably from Middle Welsh arth (“bear”).
How popular is the name Arthur in 2025?
Arthur ranked #87 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 3,847 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Arthur?
551,930 babies have been named Arthur in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Arthur most popular?
Arthur peaked in 1921, when 10,579 newborns received the name.
Is Arthur a boy or girl name?
Arthur is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Arthur rising or falling?
Arthur is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Arthur?
Well-known people named Arthur include Arthur Schopenhauer (philosopher), Arthur Conan Doyle (writer), Arthur Rimbaud (writer).