Arny
A diminutive form of the name Arnold, derived from the Germanic elements arn "eagle" and wald "rule".
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Arny. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Arny today is around 67 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Arny births was 1955 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Arny. 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 Arny is about 67 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Arnys were born before 1969.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Arny. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1955
5 babies that year
Average age
67
years old
1955 SSA rank
#3,909
Tracked since 1955
Popularity
Arny: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Arny 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 Arny during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Arny
The given name Arny has its origins in the Germanic languages, specifically in the Old Norse name Árni. It is derived from the Old Norse elements "arn" meaning "eagle" and "i" meaning "vigor" or "strength." The name can be interpreted as "eagle strength" or "strong as an eagle." This name was popular among the Vikings and other Norse peoples during the Early Middle Ages, from around the 6th to the 11th century.
Arny was a common name among the Norse settlers in Iceland, and it appears in several Icelandic sagas and historical records from that period. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Landnámabók, a medieval Icelandic manuscript that documents the settlement of Iceland in the 9th and 10th centuries. The name was also prevalent in other parts of Scandinavia, such as Norway and Sweden.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Arny. One of the earliest recorded was Árni Þorláksson (1237-1298), an Icelandic bishop and scholar who is remembered for his contributions to the preservation of Icelandic literature and history. Another prominent figure was Árni Magnússon (1663-1730), an Icelandic scholar and antiquarian who assembled one of the largest collections of Old Norse manuscripts and played a crucial role in preserving Iceland's literary heritage.
In the modern era, the name Arny has been less common but still found usage. One notable individual was Arny Rudolph Ross (1934-2017), an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Arny and Marlene A. Ross Family Foundation, which supports various educational and cultural initiatives. Another was Arny Gillmore (1928-2016), an American actress and singer who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout her career.
While the name Arny has its roots in Old Norse and Viking culture, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries. However, its usage has remained relatively uncommon in comparison to other names of similar origin or meaning.
People
Arny + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Arny 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
Arny: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Arny?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Arny 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 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Arny a common name?
We classify Arny as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Arny most popular?
The single biggest year for Arny was 1955, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Arny is about 67 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 Arny in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Arny a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Arny 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 Arny still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Arny 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 Arny 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 Arny?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.