Arnold
Boy name · #1477 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Arnold? In official American birth records, Arnold has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Arnold is currently the #1477 boy name in the United States — 120 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1657, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 15,000 boys born in 2025 was named Arnold.
Babies named Arnold per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Arnold first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 37 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1924, when 2,014 boys were named Arnold — good for #95 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Arnold against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Arnold in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Arnold is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Arnold will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Arnold is most common
State-level data for Arnold is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Arnold
Statistically, parents drawn to Arnold tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Harold, Alfred, Bernard, Lloyd, and Gerald.
HaroldAlfredBernardLloydGeraldEdmundHowardClifford
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Arnold | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 120 | #1477 |
| 2024 | 99 | #1685 |
| 2023 | 105 | #1640 |
| 2022 | 118 | #1523 |
| 2021 | 112 | #1554 |
| 2020 | 88 | #1743 |
| 2019 | 115 | #1485 |
| 2018 | 103 | #1593 |
| 2017 | 120 | #1433 |
| 2016 | 98 | #1628 |
| 2015 | 95 | #1657 |
| 2014 | 81 | #1828 |
| 2013 | 97 | #1588 |
| 2012 | 88 | #1711 |
| 2011 | 113 | #1448 |
| 2010 | 90 | #1697 |
| 2009 | 125 | #1367 |
| 2008 | 127 | #1348 |
| 2007 | 137 | #1277 |
| 2006 | 133 | #1255 |
| 2005 | 153 | #1076 |
| 2004 | 191 | #901 |
| 2003 | 213 | #822 |
| 2002 | 180 | #898 |
| 2001 | 219 | #776 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Arnold?
In official American birth records, the name Arnold first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 37 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Arnold a popular boy name?
Arnold ranked #1477 among boys in 2025 with 120 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1657.
When was the name Arnold most popular?
Arnold peaked in 1924, when 2,014 American boys received the name (ranked #95 that year). Since 1924 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Arnold?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 15,000 newborn American boys was named Arnold. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.