Arbor
A name derived from the Latin word for "tree".
Name Census estimates that about 593 living Americans carry the first name Arbor. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 63.1% of registrations being female. The average person named Arbor today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Arbor births was 2024 (60 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Arbor. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Arbor with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
593
~ 1 in 578,001 Americans
Peak year
2024
60 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,596
Tracked since 1915
Gender
Gender distribution for Arbor
Arbor is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 602 total registrations, 222 (36.9%) were male and 380 (63.1%) were female.
Arbor as a male name
- Ranked #3,596 in 2024
- 31 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2021 (31 births)
Arbor as a female name
- Ranked #4,660 in 2024
- 29 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2016 (43 births)
Popularity
Arbor: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Arbor from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 305 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
Arbor 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 Arbor during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Arbors live
Origin
Meaning and history of Arbor
The name Arbor finds its roots in Latin, originating from the word "arbor" which means "tree" or "plant". This name gained popularity during the Medieval period, particularly in regions where Latin was widely used, such as Western Europe and the Mediterranean.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Arbor can be traced back to the 9th century. An English monk named Arbor of Lindisfarne, who lived from around 810 to 875 AD, was known for his contributions to religious writings and manuscripts.
In the 12th century, Arbor de Bouville, a French nobleman and crusader, was noted for his participation in the Third Crusade alongside Richard the Lionheart. He lived from approximately 1150 to 1215.
During the Renaissance, Arbor Vitae (Latin for "Tree of Life") was a symbolic representation used in various artistic and literary works, often depicting the interconnectedness of life and nature. This metaphorical usage may have contributed to the name's popularity during this period.
In the 16th century, Arbor Grigori, an Italian botanist and herbalist, gained recognition for his extensive studies on plant life and their medicinal properties. He lived from around 1520 to 1592.
Fast forward to the 19th century, Arbor Trelawney was an English writer and poet who was known for his romantic works and nature-inspired poetry. He lived from 1810 to 1878.
While the name Arbor has maintained a consistent presence throughout history, its usage has remained relatively uncommon compared to other names. However, its strong connection to nature and the symbolism of trees and plants have made it a unique and meaningful choice for parents seeking a name with a natural and organic essence.
People
Arbor + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Arbor 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
Arbor: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Arbor?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 593 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Arbor 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 578,001 US residents.
Is Arbor a common name?
We classify Arbor as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 602 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Arbor most popular?
The single biggest year for Arbor was 2024, when 60 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Arbor is about 7 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 Arbor in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Arbor a female name?
Yes, 63.1% of people registered as Arbor 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 Arbor still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Arbor 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 Arbor 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 named Arbor?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.