Arnold
Boy name · #1477 in 2025 · Very rare
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: SSA.
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.
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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
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: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.