What Does the Name Arthur Mean?

Arthur is a boy's name of Celtic origin meaning “bear (uncertain, possibly 'bear-king').”

Updated June 2026

Name	Arthur
Gender	male
Origin	Celtic
Meaning	bear (uncertain, possibly 'bear-king')
Variants	Art, Artur, Arturo, Arthous, Artie
Popularity	A US top-15 name in the early 1900s; after a long decline it has been climbing back toward the top 200 in recent years.

The meaning and origin of Arthur

The name Arthur means “bear (uncertain, possibly 'bear-king')” and has Celtic origins. The meaning of Arthur is uncertain, possibly derived from the Celtic element 'artos' meaning 'bear,' and famously borne by the legendary King Arthur of British legend. It was revived in the 19th century and has recently returned to fashion.

Variants and related names

Arthur is related to several other names you may recognize: Art, Artur, Arturo, Arthous, Artie. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.

How popular is the name Arthur?

A US top-15 name in the early 1900s; after a long decline it has been climbing back toward the top 200 in recent years.

Popularity matters when you need believable test data: a name that fits the era or region you are modeling makes a generated profile look real. You can generate a complete fictional profile using the name Arthur below.

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