UK boy's name
Arthor
A medieval form of Arthur, meaning "bear" or "warrior, soldier" of Celtic origin.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Arthor is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Arthor popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3990, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2018, with 7 births.
This profile covers 14 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2018 to 2021. 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 57% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 14 living people in the UK are called Arthor. 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 2022 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Arthor ranked #3990 for boys in England and Wales in 2021, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2018, when 7 boys were registered as Arthor.
- • About 14 living people in the UK are estimated to have Arthor as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3990
2021
Births in 2021
4
Latest year
Peak year
2018
7 births
Estimated living
14
2026
Meaning
What does Arthor mean?
The name Arthor is a variant of the more common name Arthur, which has its origins in the Celtic languages of ancient Britain. It is derived from the Brittonic words "arth" meaning "bear" and "wr" meaning "man" or "warrior." Together, Arthor can be interpreted as "bear-man" or "bear-warrior."
The name Arthur is first recorded in the 6th century AD, appearing in ancient Welsh and Breton texts. It gained widespread popularity throughout medieval Europe due to its association with the legendary King Arthur, a British leader who defended his kingdom against Saxon invaders in the late 5th and early 6th centuries.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Arthor was Arthor ap Tudur, a Welsh nobleman who lived in the late 15th century. He was a member of the prominent Tudor family and served as a soldier under King Henry VII of England.
Another notable figure named Arthor was Arthor Bulkeley, a Welsh colonist and landowner who lived from 1592 to 1650. He was one of the founders of the Puritan settlement of Concord, Massachusetts, in the early years of the American colonies.
In the realm of literature, Arthor Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was a Scottish author best known for creating the iconic detective character Sherlock Holmes. His works, including the Sherlock Holmes stories and novels, have had a profound impact on the literary world.
Arthor Rimbaud (1854-1891) was a French poet whose work significantly influenced the symbolist and surrealist movements in literature. Despite his short life, he produced a remarkable body of poetry that explored themes of rebellion, spirituality, and the human condition.
Arthor Miller (1915-2005) was an American playwright and essayist who wrote influential plays such as "Death of a Salesman" and "The Crucible." He was a prominent figure in the American theater and a recipient of multiple prestigious awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Arthor over time
The chart below shows babies named Arthor registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2018 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Arthor, the clearest high point is 2018. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2021, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arthor by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Arthor 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 | #3990 | 4 | 1 |
| 2010s | #3698 | 10 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Arthor
- Alfie 86,546
- Alexander 85,525
- Adam 71,855
- Archie 59,965
- Arthur 43,586
- Aaron 36,366
- Alex 32,729
- Andrew 20,169
- Arlo 19,061
- Aidan 16,776
- Albie 16,017
- Albert 15,809
FAQ
Arthor: questions and answers
How popular is the name Arthor in the UK right now?
In 2021, Arthor was ranked #3990 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Arthor most popular?
The peak year on record was 2018, with 7 babies registered as Arthor in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Arthor?
A medieval form of Arthur, meaning "bear" or "warrior, soldier" of Celtic origin.
How many people are called Arthor in the UK?
A total of 14 babies have been registered as Arthor across the 3 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.