Arnel
A masculine given name of unknown meaning and origin.
Name Census estimates that about 637 living Americans carry the first name Arnel. It is a predominantly male name (97.4% of registrations). The average person named Arnel today is around 39 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Arnel births was 1962 (23 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Arnel. 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
637
~ 1 in 538,076 Americans
Peak year
1962
23 babies that year
Average age
39
years old
2021 SSA rank
#5,921
Tracked since 1913
Gender
Gender distribution for Arnel
Arnel leans heavily male at 97.4% of total registrations, but 22 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Arnel as a male name
- Ranked #8,898 in 2021
- 8 male births in 2021
- Peak: 1970 (20 births)
Arnel as a female name
- Ranked #5,921 in 1963
- 6 female births in 1963
- Peak: 1962 (16 births)
Popularity
Arnel: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Arnel from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 133 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arnel 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 Arnel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Arnels live
Origin
Meaning and history of Arnel
The name Arnel is believed to have its origins in the Old French language, where it was derived from the word "arnel," meaning a small type of fruit or berry. This name gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly in regions of France and surrounding areas where Old French was spoken.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Arnel can be traced back to the 13th century, where it appeared in medieval French literature and historical records. It was often used as a nickname or diminutive form of longer French names, such as Arnaud or Arnault.
While the name Arnel does not have any direct religious or scriptural references, it was commonly used among noble families and the aristocracy during the Middle Ages. This suggests that the name held a certain level of prestige and was associated with the upper echelons of society at the time.
One notable historical figure who bore the name Arnel was Arnel de Bediers, a French nobleman and military leader who lived during the 13th century. He served as a knight and participated in several crusades to the Holy Land.
Another individual of historical significance was Arnel de Trie, a French poet and trouvère from the 12th century. He was known for his contributions to the courtly love tradition and his lyrical compositions that were widely appreciated among the nobility.
In the realm of literature, the name Arnel was used by the French author Chrétien de Troyes in his influential medieval romance, "Yvain, the Knight of the Lion." The character of Arnel was portrayed as a loyal and valiant knight in the service of King Arthur.
Arnel de Vaucouleurs, a French clergyman and diplomat, played a significant role in the 15th century during the Hundred Years' War between France and England. He served as a negotiator and helped facilitate peace talks between the two nations.
Finally, Arnel de Montespan, a French nobleman from the 17th century, gained notoriety as the husband of the famous mistress of King Louis XIV, Madame de Montespan. Although not a prominent figure himself, his name is associated with this scandalous chapter in French royal history.
People
Arnel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Arnel 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
Arnel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Arnel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 637 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Arnel 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 538,076 US residents.
Is Arnel a common name?
We classify Arnel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 831 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Arnel most popular?
The single biggest year for Arnel was 1962, when 23 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Arnel is about 39 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Arnel a male name?
Yes, 97.4% of people registered as Arnel 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.
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.