Argle
A name of obscure or unknown origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 2 living Americans carry the first name Argle. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Argle today is around 113 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Argle births was 1923 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Argle. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Argle is about 113 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Argles were born before 1923.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Argle. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
2
~ 1 in 171,377,169 Americans
Peak year
1923
9 babies that year
Average age
113
years old
1934 SSA rank
#3,308
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Argle: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Argle from the 1910s through to the 1930s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 29 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Argle remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Argle 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 Argle during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Argle
The name Argle is believed to have originated from the ancient Etruscan civilization that flourished in what is now modern-day Italy. It is thought to be derived from the Etruscan word "argla", which means "bright" or "radiant".
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Argle can be found in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who documented the Etruscan culture in the 5th century BC. He referred to an Etruscan leader named Argle who led his people in a battle against a neighboring tribe.
During the Roman Empire, the name Argle was sometimes used by Roman families with Etruscan heritage, though it was not particularly common. One notable figure from this period was Argle Tullius, a wealthy merchant who lived in the 2nd century AD and was known for his philanthropic efforts in funding the construction of public buildings and monuments.
In the Middle Ages, the name Argle remained relatively obscure but was occasionally used by families in certain regions of Italy. One recorded instance was Argle Borgia, a minor nobleman from the powerful Borgia family who lived in the 15th century.
In the Renaissance period, the name gained a bit more popularity, particularly among Italian humanists and scholars who were interested in reviving and studying ancient Etruscan culture. One notable figure was Argle Bembo, a Venetian writer and historian who lived from 1470 to 1547 and wrote extensively about Etruscan language and artifacts.
During the Age of Exploration, the name Argle was sometimes given to explorers and adventurers who traveled to new lands. One such individual was Argle Vespucci, an Italian navigator who accompanied Amerigo Vespucci on his voyages to the Americas in the early 16th century.
While the name Argle has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has continued to be used sporadically in various regions, particularly in Italy and other parts of Europe. Some other notable figures who bore this name include Argle Galilei, an Italian scientist and mathematician who lived from 1564 to 1642, and Argle Vivaldi, a Venetian composer from the Baroque period who lived from 1678 to 1741.
People
Argle + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Argle 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
Argle: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Argle?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Argle 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 171,377,169 US residents.
Is Argle a common name?
We classify Argle as "Very Rare". It ranks above 4.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 51 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Argle most popular?
The single biggest year for Argle was 1923, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Argle is about 113 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 Argle in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Argle a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Argle in the SSA data are male. 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 Argle still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Argle 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 Argle 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 have the name Argle?
If you just want to know how many people share the name Argle, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.