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Home › Baby Names Directory › Arnold

Arnold

♂ Boy

Pronounced AR-nuhld /ˈɑɹ.nəld/Medium

Meaning: From Germanic 'arn' (eagle) and 'wald' (power, rule), 'eagle power'.Medium

In 30 seconds: Arnold comes from the Germanic elements 'arn' ('eagle') and 'wald' ('power, rule'), giving 'eagle power'. It is a long-established name with deep Germanic roots.
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Origin MediumGermanic, English
MeaningFrom Germanic 'arn' (eagle) and 'wald' (power, rule), 'eagle power'.
U.S. rank (2025)#1477 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births120 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1924
Total births (all-time)≈ 103,840

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192418802025

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

Built from 'arn', 'eagle', and 'wald', 'power' or 'rule', Arnold carries the bold sense of 'eagle power'. It spread through the Germanic and English-speaking worlds, taking on forms like the Dutch Arnoud and the Catalan Arnau along the way. The eagle imagery has stayed with the name throughout its history.

In modern times the actor and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger has been the name's most visible bearer, an Austrian-American whose career as a Hollywood action star and Governor of California gave it a strong public profile.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Arnold is 'eagle power', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Arnold — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

ArendArnoudArnoutArnoaldArnau

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Arnold Schwarzenegger (1947-present)
    Austrian-American bodybuilder, actor, and politician who became a Hollywood action star and served as Governor of California.

If you like Arnold…

Oswald— another English name
Aven— another nature pick
Alder— another English name
Alton— a similarly popular pick
Leopold— lands in the same popularity range

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Arnold mean?

Arnold is usually explained as meaning 'eagle power' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Arnold?

It's commonly said AR-nuhld /ˈɑɹ.nəld/.

Is Arnold a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Arnold is used as a boy name.

How popular is Arnold?

In 2024, Arnold ranked #1681 in the U.S. for boys, with 99 births recorded.

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