Arsenial
An ancient Greek name derived from the word "arsenikos" meaning masculine or virile.
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Arsenial. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Arsenial today is around 36 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Arsenial births was 1989 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Arsenial. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Arsenial. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1989
6 babies that year
Average age
36
years old
1989 SSA rank
#7,005
Tracked since 1989
Popularity
Arsenial: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Arsenial 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 Arsenial during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Arsenial
The name Arsenial is believed to have originated from the Greek word "arsenikos," which means "masculine" or "male-like." It is a relatively rare name, and its origins can be traced back to ancient Greek culture and mythology.
The earliest known reference to the name Arsenial is found in the works of the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, who lived in the 4th century BCE. In his writings, he mentions a character named Arsenial, though little is known about the significance of this character.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Arsenial was a Byzantine scholar and theologian who lived in the 6th century CE. He is known for his commentary on the works of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato and his contributions to the spread of Neoplatonism in the Byzantine Empire.
During the Middle Ages, the name Arsenial was occasionally used by members of the Eastern Orthodox Church. One notable figure was Arsenial of Nicomedia, a 9th-century monk and theologian who played a significant role in the iconoclastic controversy, a theological dispute over the use of religious images in Christian worship.
In the 16th century, there was a French philosopher and writer named Arsenial de Laval, who was known for his works on natural philosophy and metaphysics. He was born in 1532 and died in 1592.
Another notable figure with the name Arsenial was Arsenial Radnikov, a Russian painter and artist who lived in the 18th century. He was renowned for his religious iconography and frescoes, which adorned many churches and monasteries in Russia during that time.
Over the centuries, the name Arsenial has been used sporadically across various cultures and regions, but it has remained a relatively uncommon name. While it has not been borne by many famous historical figures, its ancient Greek origins and occasional appearances in religious and academic contexts have contributed to its enduring legacy as a unique and intriguing name.
People
Arsenial + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Arsenial 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
Arsenial: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Arsenial?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Arsenial 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Arsenial a common name?
We classify Arsenial as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Arsenial most popular?
The single biggest year for Arsenial was 1989, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Arsenial is about 36 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 Arsenial in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Arsenial a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Arsenial 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 Arsenial still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Arsenial 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 Arsenial 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 common is the name Arsenial?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the name Arsenial on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.