UK girl's name
Arrietty
A female name derived from the French word "arête" meaning "thin" or "lean".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Arrietty is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Arrietty popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1672, with 18 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 23 births.
This profile covers 209 England and Wales registrations across 13 recorded years from 2012 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 78% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 208 living people in the UK are called Arrietty. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Arrietty ranked #1672 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 18 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2021, when 23 girls were registered as Arrietty.
- • About 208 living people in the UK are estimated to have Arrietty as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1672
2024
Births in 2024
18
Latest year
Peak year
2021
23 births
Estimated living
208
2026
Meaning
What does Arrietty mean?
The name Arrietty is believed to have originated from the English author Mary Norton's children's book series "The Borrowers", which was published in the 1950s. The name is derived from the name of the main character, a young girl named Arrietty Clock, who belongs to a race of tiny people living beneath the floorboards of a house.
The name itself does not seem to have any specific linguistic origin or etymology. It is a fictional name created by the author, possibly inspired by the French name "Ariette" or the English name "Harriet". However, the unique spelling and pronunciation of "Arrietty" set it apart as a distinct name.
Despite its literary origins, the name Arrietty has gained some popularity over the years, particularly after the release of the 2010 Japanese animated film "The Secret World of Arrietty" by Studio Ghibli, which was based on Norton's books. This exposure likely contributed to the name's wider recognition and adoption.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Arrietty can be found in Mary Norton's debut novel "The Borrowers" (1952), where the character Arrietty Clock is introduced. However, it is worth noting that the name did not gain widespread popularity until much later.
While the name Arrietty is relatively uncommon, there are a few notable individuals who have borne this name throughout history:
1. Arrietty Landau (born 1987), an Australian actress known for her roles in television series like "Underbelly" and "Rake". 2. Arrietty Sorvari (born 1980), a Finnish actress and model who has appeared in films like "Frozen Land" and "Napapiirin sankarit". 3. Arrietty Louw (born 1992), a South African actress and model known for her work in television series and films. 4. Arrietty Bowman (born 1965), an American artist and sculptor known for her intricate wire sculptures. 5. Arrietty Kramer (born 1978), a Dutch professional tennis player who competed on the WTA Tour in the early 2000s.
It is important to note that while the name Arrietty has gained some recognition and usage, it remains a relatively rare and unique name, particularly in comparison to more traditional or commonly used names.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Arrietty over time
The chart below shows babies named Arrietty registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2012 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Arrietty, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 18 births in 2024, compared with 23 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arrietty by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Arrietty was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #1748 | 86 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1913 | 123 | 8 |
Related
Names similar to Arrietty
- Amelia 94,830
- Ava 54,556
- Amy 52,495
- Alice 46,815
- Abigail 45,658
- Amber 31,922
- Anna 27,802
- Alexandra 19,455
- Amelie 18,051
- Abbie 15,971
- Aimee 15,158
- Annabelle 15,120
FAQ
Arrietty: questions and answers
How popular is the name Arrietty in the UK right now?
In 2024, Arrietty was ranked #1672 for girls in England and Wales, with 18 births registered.
When was Arrietty most popular?
The peak year on record was 2021, with 23 babies registered as Arrietty in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Arrietty?
A female name derived from the French word "arête" meaning "thin" or "lean".
How many people are called Arrietty in the UK?
A total of 209 babies have been registered as Arrietty across the 13 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.