Arnie

♂ Boy

Pronounced AR-nee /ˈɑr.ni/High

Meaning: A pet form of Arnold — from the Germanic arn, 'eagle', + wald, 'power; ruler', hence 'an eagle ruler; eagle power'Low

In 30 seconds: An eagle ruler; eagle power: Arnie is a pet form of Arnold. Crisp, retro, and warm.

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Origin LowGermanic

MeaningA pet form of Arnold — from the Germanic arn, 'eagle', + wald, 'power; ruler', hence 'an eagle ruler; eagle power'

U.S. rank (2025)#6171 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births14 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1960

Total births (all-time)≈ 2,088

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Arnie is a pet form of Arnold — from the Germanic arn, 'eagle', + wald, 'power; ruler', hence 'an eagle ruler; eagle power'. A crisp, retro name (said 'AR-nee').

In the U.S. it appears as a pet form of Arnold. Rare today, an-eagle-ruler at the root, and retro.

Did you know? Arnold joins the Germanic arn, 'eagle', and wald, 'power; ruler', hence 'an eagle ruler' — Arnie is a crisp pet form, retro and warm (said 'AR-nee').

Overall data confidence 42%

References — Arnold — pet form

Variations

ArnyArnoldArne

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Arnie…

Arnold— the source name

Ernie— a sound-neighbor -nie retro boys' name

Archie— a fellow Germanic choice

Ronnie— another Germanic name

Willie— echoes that soft -ie sound

Explore names like Arnie

By themegermanic nickname-name retro

By meaningStrength Royal / Noble Bird

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Arnie mean?

Arnie is a pet form of Arnold — Germanic 'an eagle ruler; eagle power'.

How do you pronounce Arnie?

It's said AR-nee /ˈɑr.ni/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Arnie a boy or girl name?

Arnie is a boy's name.

How popular is Arnie?

Arnie is a rare name today, retro.