How to say it
AR · thur
ˈɑr.θɚ
Masculine
Arthur
Bear, possibly 'bear-king'
What it means
Likely from a Celtic root artos, 'bear,' possibly combined with a word for 'man' or 'king.' The name of legendary king Arthur of Camelot, the wizard Merlin's pupil and the once-and-future king.
Arthur's etymology is disputed but most linguists trace it to a Brittonic word for bear, possibly combined with viros (man) or ríxs (king), making something like 'bear-king.' The legendary Arthur of the Round Table appears first in Welsh poetry, then in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 12th-century Latin chronicle, then in Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur. The historical question of whether he existed is unsettled; the cultural footprint isn't. Queen Victoria revived the name in the 1840s by giving it to her third son, which pushed it back into wide use. It dropped sharply mid-20th century and has come roaring back since 2015 as part of the vintage-revival wave. Art and Artie are the standard nicknames.
How to spell Arthur
The standard spelling is Arthur. Common variants include Artie, Artur, Arturo, but Arthur is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #14 in 1880, currently #87 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Art and Artie are the standard shorts. Art reads grown-up, Artie reads warm and child-coded.
- Pop culture
King Arthur of legend is the dominant association, with the PBS Arthur the aardvark series anchoring the name for the under-25 set.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- King Arthur Legendary 5th- or 6th-century king of the Britons, the Round Table
- Arthur Conan Doyle Creator of Sherlock Holmes
- Arthur Ashe First Black man to win Wimbledon and the US Open
Spelling variants
- Artie
- Artur
- Arturo
Names with the same feeling
See Arthur from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Arthur mean?
- Likely from a Celtic root artos, 'bear,' possibly combined with a word for 'man' or 'king.' The name of legendary king Arthur of Camelot, the wizard Merlin's pupil and the once-and-future king.
- What does Arthur mean in Celtic?
- In Celtic, Arthur means "Bear, possibly 'bear-king'." Arthur's etymology is disputed but most linguists trace it to a Brittonic word for bear, possibly combined with viros (man) or ríxs (king), making something like 'bear-king.' The legendary Arthur of the Round Table appears first in Welsh poetry, then in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 12th-century Latin chronicle, then in Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur. The historical question of whether he existed is unsettled; the cultural footprint isn't. Queen Victoria revived the name in the 1840s by giving it to her third son, which pushed it back into wide use. It dropped sharply mid-20th century and has come roaring back since 2015 as part of the vintage-revival wave. Art and Artie are the standard nicknames.
- How do you pronounce Arthur?
- Arthur is pronounced ˈɑr.θɚ. Say it as AR-thur, with the stress on the "ar" syllable.
- How do you spell Arthur?
- The standard spelling is Arthur. Common spelling variants include Artie, Artur, Arturo.
- Is Arthur a boy or girl name?
- Arthur is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Arthur?
- Arthur ranked #87 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.