Arabell
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly deriving from Latin and meaning "altar maid".
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the first name Arabell. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Arabell today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Arabell births was 2023 (37 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Arabell. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
120
~ 1 in 2,856,286 Americans
Peak year
2023
37 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,466
Tracked since 1894
Popularity
Arabell: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Arabell from the 1890s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 66 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arabell by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Arabell during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Arabells live
Origin
Meaning and history of Arabell
The name Arabell is thought to have originated from the Old French and Latin languages. It is a combination of the Latin word "ara," meaning "altar," and the Old French word "belle," meaning "beautiful." This suggests that the name may have been derived from the phrase "beautiful altar," possibly referring to a beautiful prayer altar or a place of worship.
The earliest known use of the name Arabell dates back to the 12th century in France. During this time, the name was likely associated with religious connotations, reflecting the deep religious beliefs and practices of the era. It was a popular name among the noble classes and was often given to daughters of aristocratic families.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Arabell was Arabell de Warenne, born in 1190, the daughter of William de Warenne, Earl of Surrey. She was married to Hubert de Burgh, a prominent English nobleman and Justiciar of England during the reign of King John.
In the 13th century, Arabell de Bohun, born in 1227, was a member of the powerful Bohun family and was married to Roger de Quincy, Earl of Winchester. Her name was recorded in various historical documents from the time, further solidifying the presence of the name during this period.
Another notable figure was Arabell Bassett, born in 1455, who was the daughter of Sir John Bassett and a member of the English gentry. She was married to Sir John Paulet, a prominent figure in the court of King Henry VII.
In the realm of literature, the name Arabell was mentioned in the 16th-century poem "The Faerie Queene" by Edmund Spenser, published in 1590. The character of Arabell was depicted as a noble and virtuous woman, further reinforcing the positive connotations associated with the name.
During the 17th century, Arabell Symes, born in 1620, was a notable figure in England. She was the wife of Sir Richard Symes, a Member of Parliament, and was known for her involvement in charitable works and support for the Church of England.
These are just a few examples of individuals who bore the name Arabell throughout history, showcasing its enduring presence and the diverse backgrounds from which it has emerged.
People
Arabell + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Arabell as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Arabell: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Arabell?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 120 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Arabell going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,856,286 US residents.
Is Arabell a common name?
We classify Arabell as "Very Rare". It ranks above 67.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 175 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Arabell most popular?
The single biggest year for Arabell was 2023, when 37 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Arabell is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Arabell in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Arabell a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Arabell in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Arabell still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Arabell in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Arabell can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Arabell?
Find out how many people share the name Arabell on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.