Arvo

♂ Boy

Pronounced AR-voh /ˈɑːr.voʊ/Medium

Meaning: Arvo is a Finnish and Estonian man's name from arvo, 'worth, value, dignity'; it belongs to the wave of nature- and virtue-words the Finnish national awakening turned into given names, and is most famous today through the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt.Medium

In 30 seconds: Arvo is a Finnish and Estonian boy's name meaning 'worth' or 'value' (said 'AR-voh').

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Origin MediumFinnish, Estonian

MeaningArvo is a Finnish and Estonian man's name from arvo, 'worth, value, dignity'; it belongs to the wave of nature- and virtue-words the Finnish national awakening turned into given names, and is most famous today through the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt.

U.S. rank (2020)#8806 ↗ Rising

2020 U.S. births8 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1915

Total births (all-time)≈ 317

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

Arvo comes straight from Finnish and Estonian arvo, 'worth' or 'value'. It is one of the plain, dignified vocabulary-names the Finnish cultural revival favored, and it travelled to the United States with Finnish-speaking settlers.

In American records it marks a small early-century Finnish-American cohort of the Upper Midwest; it never spread beyond it, and it reads today as a heritage name — spare, strong, and, thanks to Arvo Pärt, quietly distinguished.

Did you know? Carried to America by Finnish immigrants, Arvo was always scarce, cresting around 1915; the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt has since made it the best-known bearer of the name.

Overall data confidence 68%

References — Arvo — Finnish/Estonian 'worth, value'; Arvo Pärt

Variations

Arvid

Nicknames

Arv

Famous Bearers

★Arvo Pärt (1935–present)
Estonian composer known for meditative sacred works such as Spiegel im Spiegel.

If you like Arvo…

Eino— another Finnish boy's name from the same immigrant cohort

Toivo— a like Finnish virtue-name, meaning 'hope'

Arvid— a close Nordic relative sharing the 'Arv-' opening

Leif— another short, strong Scandinavian heritage name

Explore names like Arvo

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Arvo mean?

Arvo is a Finnish and Estonian name meaning 'worth' or 'value', best known through composer Arvo Pärt.

How do you pronounce Arvo?

It's said AR-voh /ˈɑːr.voʊ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Arvo a boy or girl name?

Arvo is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Arvo?

Arvo has always been rare in the U.S., a Finnish-American heritage name that remains very uncommon.