Meaning of the Name Arnold

The name Arnold is very distinguished and it dates back many years. The meaning of Arnold is quite fascinating. It is an ancient name of Germanic origin meaning “eagle power” or sometimes translated as “strong as an eagle”. It is composed of actually two Germanic words, the word “arn” meaning “eagle” and “wald” meaning “rule or power”.

Origin of the Name

The Normans brought the name to England during a time period some say was after the Norman Conquest in roughly the 12th century. After the name’s arrival in England it dropped in usage until the 19th century when the popularity of Arnold picked up again. The name Arnold is ranked 946th out of popular names to give children, which means it is used quite frequently. Roughly 570,800 people of the world are estimated to have the name today. Interestingly enough, Arnold has also been recorded as a surname dating back to 1711.

Popularity

Arnold was not registered in the top 100 baby names in England in 2013.

Famous People with the First Name Arnold

The distinguished meaning of the name has inspired many parents to give the name to their children. Many famous people have the Arnold name including the actor and politician Arnold Scwartzenegger, Arnold Rothstein (New York gangster) and the great golfer Arnold Palmer.

Useful Resources

Discover the meaning and popularity of other English boys’ names on our website.