Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Arthur

Arthur is a name derived from the Celtic people most famously borne by King Arthur, king of the Britons who presided over the Knights of the Roundtable, upon which many early medieval legendary tales of chivalry and valor are based (see literary references below). The etymology of the name is not completely certain, although it’s believed to come from the Celtic word “artos” meaning ‘bear’ combined with “úr” meaning ‘fresh, pure’ suggesting that Arthur signified a person ‘pure or strong as a bear’. Due to the immense popularity of the Arthurian legends throughout Europe in the later Middle Ages, the name came into general use. By 19th century England, Arthur exploded with success thanks in part to Arthur being immortalized by poet Lord Alfred Tennyson in his work “Idylls of the King” (published between 1856 and 1885) and the famous Anglo-Irish soldier and statesman, Arthur Wellesley, who famously defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo (1815). Arthur is still a Top 100 favorite in England and Wales, but more interestingly than that, it’s ranked #15 in France (2009) and #6 in Belgium (2008).

All About the Baby Name – Arthur

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME ARTHUR

The number Five personality loves the excitement of life and can easily adapt to all situations. As natural adventurers, these personalities thrive on the new and unexpected and prefer to be in constant motion. It makes them feel alive. They'll stir up some action if there's not enough around, and as inherent risk-takers they enjoy pushing the envelope. Naturally rebellious, the Five personality has no fear and never resists change.  Traveling and new experiences feed their souls. Fives are very social and attract friends with ease. People love to be around the Five fun-loving and exciting energy.  This is also a lucky number in numerology (like the Threes), so fortune seems to shine on them, helped along by their own optimism and good-nature. Fives have a quick wit, a cerebral mind, and are generally very persuasive. 

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME ARTHUR

Arthur has always been a favorite American masculine name; that is, until the 21st century. But first let’s back track to the 19th century when legendary Arthur was in all his glory. The United States government first began tracking naming trends in 1880. In that year, Arthur was the 14th most popular boy’s name. At the turn of the 20th century (in 1900) Arthur was ranked at position #15. Only names like William, John, James, Robert and Edward had him beat. As the decades progressed into the 1900s, Arthur would always maintain a spot on the Top 100 (up until 1969). The 1970s marked the beginning of the end for this traditional, old-fashioned Celtic name. As we’ve crossed the threshold into the 21st century, Arthur is now passé and only mildly used. There are certain names like John, William and James who have held up against the test of time into today’s oh-so-modern naming fashions. But names like George, Walter and Arthur have retreated to the shadows. We agree that Arthur is old-fashioned and arguably out-dated, but that is precisely part of his enduring charm. Arthur is now a name for the contrarian parents who pay homage to tradition and history over fleeting fashions of the day. It’s a regal name loaded with valor, romance, chivalry and days of yore. We take our hats off to the parents of today willing to buck the trends and pick this ‘bear’ of a name for their little boys.

Quick Facts

ON ARTHUR

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

Celtic

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

323

PRONUNCIATION:

AHR-thər

SIMPLE MEANING:

Strong as a bear

Characteristics

OF ARTHUR

Freedom-loving

Adventurous

Adaptable

Intellectual

Easygoing

Progressive

Sensual

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Arthur

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME ARTHUR

King Arthur is the monarch of British legend, the defender of the country against invading Anglo-Saxons in the sixth century. As he has come down to us through myth, King Arthur is a nobleman, a good and generous ruler, who gathers the finest knights to his service (The Knights of the Round Table), reigns over the idyllic kingdom of Camelot with his beautiful queen, Guinevere, and strives to find the Holy Grail for the good of mankind. First committed to written narration by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century, the Arthurian legends were perpetrated with “Le Morte d’Arthur” by Thomas Malory and the works of Cretien de Troyes in the 15th century. Following a lapse in popularity, Alfred Lord Tennyson’s “Idylls of the King” revived public interest in the 1800s, and it has hardly abated since. Whatever the legitimacy of its historical claims, the legend of Arthur continues to entrance with its romantic fascination, generation after generation.

Arthur “Boo” Radley is a shadowy but ultimately endearing character in Harper Lee’s 1960 Pulitzer Prize winning novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, upon which the equally beloved film of 1962 was based. As the neighborhood recluse, “Boo” gives the children a wonderful palette upon which to project their fears and fantasies. Tall tales abound, and initiation rites involve running up to his house and banging on the door. In reality, “Boo” is a lonely man who stores little gifts for the Finch children in a tree knothole. As the unsavory events of the Robinson trial unfold, the children begin to understand why someone would opt for loneliness in favor of avoiding the hatred and prejudice displayed by the townspeople. At the denouement of the novel , Arthur Radley is the “super-hero” who is drawn out of his seclusion by that very intolerance, in an effort to save the innocent children. Arthur Radley, the simple-minded but heroic young man, risks his own life to save Jem and Scout. In the movie, a young Robert Duvall played his first screen role brilliantly.

Arthur Shelby is a minor but pivotal character in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 1852 classic, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. It is his action upon which the novel turns. Arthur Shelby is a kindhearted Kentucky farmer who, needing funds, decides to sell two of his slaves, the eponymous Uncle Tom and Harry, the son of Mrs. Shelby’s maid, Eliza. Both Mrs. Shelby and her son, George, are very upset, but the decision is made. Eliza escapes with her son by night, and Uncle Tom is sold “upriver”. The heartrending results of Arthur Shelby’s action unfold chapter by chapter in Ms. Stowe’s sentimental novel, with varying outcomes for various characters. In the end, George Shelby, having arrived to buy Uncle Tom out of the rapacious ownership of Simon Legree, finds he is too late; Uncle Tom is dead. Returning home, George frees all the farm’s slaves. And we proceed to the Civil War.

Arthur Dimmesdale is a main character in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s famous 1850 novel, The Scarlet Letter. He is a Puritan reverend who just happens to have fathered the illegitimate child of Hester Prynne, and uses up most of his energy, spiritual and otherwise, in hiding this inconvenient truth. Hester, of course, due to the obvious nature of female biology, has no such solution at hand. Not to worry, however, for Arthur Dimmesdale is absolutely miserable throughout the book, as well he should be. While Hester raises her child alone, spurned by the community and forced to wear the red letter “A” for adultery, Arthur becomes more and more revered by his flock, who see his self-abnegation as a proper attitude for their reverend to take. To be fair, it is Hester who refuses to allow the townspeople the truth, but Arthur goes along with it, to his ultimate destruction. Physically weakened and mentally anguished by years of hypocrisy, Arthur finally confesses just before dying. We would excoriate him for grabbing heaven on his deathbed, but we do have to admit, his whole life has been excruciating. Perhaps he has earned that redemption, after all.

“The Fonz” is arguably the most popular character in the 1970/80s comedy series, Happy Days, set in 1950s middle-class Milwaukee. As played by the young Henry Winkler, he was the embodiment of “cool” – an irreverent, sarcastic, leather-jacketed, motorcycle riding high school dropout popular with the ladies. In addition to that, he espouses racial equality, rights for those with disabilities, and higher education. With his typical thumbs-up “Ay” exclamation, he has moved into a permanent place in popular culture, as evidenced by his status as TV Guide’s ranking of him as number 4 of the “50 Greatest TV Characters of All Time”.

Sir Lionel is the younger son of King Bors of Gaul who, when his father is killed in battle, is taken by the Lady of the Lake to her underwater kingdom. Here he is raised along with his brother, Bors and his cousin, Lancelot, and they all eventually become Knights of King Arthur’s Round Table. Lionel is ever loyal to Lancelot, accompanying him on his many chivalric voyages and defending him in le affaire Guinevere. Lionel is also, however, a rather hot-tempered fellow, who is angered by his brother’s knightly decision to save a damsel in distress rather than his own brother. Lionel tries to avenge himself on his brother, but Bors refuses to fight him. After a hermit and a fellow knight try to intervene and are killed by Lionel, the heavenly powers step in and send a lightning bolt out of the sky, effectively ending the fight. This seems to have a sobering effect on Lionel, and he repents of his sins. Well-aimed lightning bolts have a way of doing that to a person.

Elaine of Astolat is a character in Sir Thomas Malory’s 15th century Le Morte d’Arthur, a compilation of romantic tales about the legend of King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table, and their ladies fair. Elaine meets the renowned knight, Sir Lancelot, when her father arranges for a jousting tournament. Lancelot stays at her father’s house and the young girl is immediately smitten. She asks him to wear her “favor” in his helmet at the joust, which he does while appearing in disguise. When Lancelot is severely wounded, Elaine persuades her father to allow her to nurse him back to health, at which time she declares her love for him. Lancelot, being smitten himself, only by Queen Guinevere, gently but firmly puts her off. When he is back at court, a barge bearing the dead body of Elaine floats along the river to Camelot. Elaine’s letter, held in her hand, tells the story of her unrequited love for Lancelot and requests burial at Camelot. A chastened Lancelot steps forward to bear the expense.

Lancelot is one of the Knights of the Round Table of King Arthur’s court, as portrayed by Sir Thomas Malory in his Arthurian legends of the 15th century (although he appears earlier in the works of Chretien de Troyes, a writer in the 12th century) Lancelot is instrumental in the search for the Holy Grail and is often described as the most trusted and bravest of all the king’s knights. Alas, he is also, perhaps, the most human of all – immediately upon arriving at the court he falls in love with Arthur’s queen, Guinevere. True knight that he is, he rescues her from Arthur’s enemy, Meleagant. True man that he is, he pursues her until she yields to him. It is her acquiescence to him and her betrayal of King Arthur that ultimately lead to the downfall of Camelot. Sir Lancelot, however, repents of his sins and after King Arthur’s death, he goes to a hermitage and spends the rest of his life atoning for them. (Sorry, but we just can’t help thinking of Desi Arnaz playing Ricky Ricardo playing Sir Lancelot: “I am the good Sir Lancelot, I love to sing and dance a lot…”).

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME ARTHUR

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Arthur


Popular Songs

ON ARTHUR

Arthur
a song by Badfinger

Arthur McBride
a song by Bob Dylan

Arthur’s Car
a song by Ides of Space

Arthur’s Theme
a song by Christoper Cross

Uncle Arthur
a song by David Bowie

Famous People

NAMED ARTHUR

King Arthur (Celtic mythology)
Arthur I, Duke of Brittany (English royalty)
Arthur Wellesley (Duke of Wellington
defeated Napoleon at Waterloo)
Arthur, Prince of Wales (brother of King Henry VIII)
Arthur Conan Doyle (author)
Arthur Ashe (tennis player)
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (sci-fi author)
Arthur “Art” Garfunkel (singer/songwriter)
Arthur Miller (playwright)
Arthur Rimbaud (French poet)
Arthur “Art” Linkletter (TV personality)
Arthur Lee (musician)
Arthur Guinness (Irish beer brewer)
Arthur Frommer (travel guide publisher)
Arthur “Art” Carney (actor)
Arthur Balfour (former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom)
Arthur Farrel (hockey player)
Arthur Wirtz (hockey player)
Arthur Godfrey (old radio/TV personality)
King Arthur (Celtic mythology)
Arthur I, Duke of Brittany (English royalty)
Arthur Wellesley (Duke of Wellington
defeated Napoleon at Waterloo)
Arthur, Prince of Wales (brother of King Henry VIII)
Arthur Conan Doyle (author)
Arthur Ashe (tennis player)
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (sci-fi author)
Arthur “Art” Garfunkel (singer/songwriter)
Arthur Miller (playwright)
Arthur Rimbaud (French poet)
Arthur “Art” Linkletter (TV personality)
Arthur Lee (musician)
Arthur Guinness (Irish beer brewer)
Arthur Frommer (travel guide publisher)
Arthur “Art” Carney (actor)
Arthur Balfour (former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom)
Arthur Farrel (hockey player)
Arthur Wirtz (hockey player)
Arthur Godfrey (old radio/TV personality)
King Arthur (Celtic mythology)
Arthur I, Duke of Brittany (English royalty)
Arthur Wellesley (Duke of Wellington
defeated Napoleon at Waterloo)
Arthur, Prince of Wales (brother of King Henry VIII)
Arthur Conan Doyle (author)
Arthur Ashe (tennis player)
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (sci-fi author)
Arthur “Art” Garfunkel (singer/songwriter)
Arthur Miller (playwright)
Arthur Rimbaud (French poet)
Arthur “Art” Linkletter (TV personality)
Arthur Lee (musician)
Arthur Guinness (Irish beer brewer)
Arthur Frommer (travel guide publisher)
Arthur “Art” Carney (actor)
Arthur Balfour (former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom)
Arthur Farrel (hockey player)
Arthur Wirtz (hockey player)
Arthur Godfrey (old radio/TV personality)

Children of Famous People

NAMED ARTHUR

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Arthur

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME ARTHUR

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Arthur