Arthella
Feminine diminutive of Artha, likely derived from the Gothic word "artillery".
Name Census estimates that about 31 living Americans carry the first name Arthella. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Arthella today is around 81 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Arthella births was 1920 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Arthella. 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 Arthella is about 81 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Arthellas were born before 1955.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Arthella. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
31
~ 1 in 11,056,592 Americans
Peak year
1920
10 babies that year
Average age
81
years old
1955 SSA rank
#4,086
Tracked since 1913
Popularity
Arthella: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Arthella from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 64 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Arthella remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arthella 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 Arthella 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 Arthella
The given name Arthella is an intriguing one, its origins shrouded in the mists of time and spanning diverse cultural influences. This feminine name finds its roots in the ancient Greek language, deriving from the word "arthron," which translates to "joint" or "connecting point." It is believed that this name was initially bestowed upon those born under astrological alignments considered auspicious for facilitating connections and harmonious bonds.
During the Byzantine era, Arthella emerged as a popular moniker among the aristocratic circles of Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. Historical records from this period reveal its usage within the uppermost echelons of society, indicating a perceived association with grace, refinement, and societal prominence.
Arthella gained further recognition in the annals of early Christian history, as it was borne by Saint Arthella, a 5th-century nun revered for her piety and dedication to charitable works. Her unwavering devotion to aiding the destitute and infirm earned her a place of honor within the ecclesiastical traditions of the era.
As the centuries unfolded, Arthella maintained a presence across various European cultures, particularly in regions influenced by the Greek and Roman civilizations. Notable bearers of this name include Arthella von Habsburg, a 16th-century Archduchess of Austria (1582-1629), renowned for her patronage of the arts and her philanthropic endeavors.
In the realm of literature, Arthella found immortalization in the works of the celebrated English poet and playwright, William Shakespeare. In his romantic comedy, "Love's Labour's Lost," one of the central characters, a princess, bears this name, adding a touch of literary charm to its legacy.
Another prominent figure who carried the name Arthella was the Italian Renaissance artist, Arthella Gentileschi (1593-1656), whose bold and dynamic paintings challenged the artistic conventions of her time, paving the way for future generations of female artists.
While the name Arthella may have waxed and waned in popularity over the centuries, its rich tapestry of cultural and historical significance remains a testament to its enduring allure and the enduring human desire for connection and harmony.
People
Arthella + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Arthella 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
Arthella: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Arthella?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 31 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Arthella 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 11,056,592 US residents.
Is Arthella a common name?
We classify Arthella as "Very Rare". It ranks above 47% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 169 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Arthella most popular?
The single biggest year for Arthella was 1920, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Arthella is about 81 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 Arthella in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Arthella a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Arthella 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 Arthella still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Arthella 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 Arthella 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 Arthella?
Find out how many people share the name Arthella on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.