NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Arvid

A masculine Scandinavian name derived from the Old Norse words "arfr" and "vidr" meaning "inheritance" and "wood".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Arvid is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Arvid popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3523, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2021, with 7 births.

This profile covers 26 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 2007 to 2023. 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 71% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 26 living people in the UK are called Arvid. 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 2024 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Arvid ranked #3523 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 5 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2021, when 7 boys were registered as Arvid.
  • About 26 living people in the UK are estimated to have Arvid as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#3523

2023

Births in 2023

5

Latest year

Peak year

2021

7 births

Estimated living

26

2026

Meaning

What does Arvid mean?

The name Arvid has its origins in the Old Norse language, which was spoken by the Norse people who inhabited Scandinavia during the Viking Age, around the 8th to 11th centuries. It is derived from the Old Norse elements "ari" meaning "eagle" and "vidr" meaning "wood" or "tree." The name can be translated to mean "eagle of the woods" or "eagle tree."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Arvid can be found in the Icelandic Landnámabók (Book of Settlements), a medieval text that chronicles the settlement of Iceland by Norse people in the 9th and 10th centuries. The name is mentioned in reference to Arvid the Blind, a Norwegian Viking who is said to have been one of the first settlers in Iceland.

In Sweden, the name Arvid has a long and illustrious history. One of the most notable historical figures with this name was Arvid Posse (1617-1692), a Swedish count and statesman who served as the Lord High Chancellor of Sweden and played a significant role in the Swedish Empire during the 17th century.

Another prominent Swedish figure named Arvid was Arvid Horn (1664-1742), a military officer and politician who served as the President of the Privy Council Chancellery and the Lord High Chancellor of Sweden. He was a key figure in the Age of Liberty, a period of parliamentary rule in Sweden during the 18th century.

In Norway, the name Arvid has been used since ancient times. One of the earliest recorded Norwegians with this name was Arvid Hyttefad (1160-1210), a Norwegian nobleman and military commander who fought in the Bagler Wars, a civil war that took place in Norway during the late 12th and early 13th centuries.

Another notable Norwegian named Arvid was Arvid Møller (1872-1943), a shipowner and industrialist who played a significant role in the development of the Norwegian shipping industry in the early 20th century.

In Denmark, the name Arvid has been in use since the Middle Ages. One of the most famous Danes with this name was Arvid Müller (1904-1992), a writer and journalist who was a prominent figure in the Danish resistance movement during World War II.

While the name Arvid has its roots in Old Norse and was prevalent in Scandinavia during the Viking Age and medieval period, it has since spread to other parts of the world and has been used by individuals from various cultural backgrounds.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Arvid over time

The chart below shows babies named Arvid registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2007 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Arvid, the clearest high point is 2021. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2023, compared with 7 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Arvid
02457200720152023

Decades

Arvid by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Arvid 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 #3418 16 3
2010s #4285 7 2
2000s #4333 3 1

Related

Names similar to Arvid

FAQ

Arvid: questions and answers

How popular is the name Arvid in the UK right now?

In 2023, Arvid was ranked #3523 for boys in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.

When was Arvid most popular?

The peak year on record was 2021, with 7 babies registered as Arvid in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Arvid?

A masculine Scandinavian name derived from the Old Norse words "arfr" and "vidr" meaning "inheritance" and "wood".

How many people are called Arvid in the UK?

A total of 26 babies have been registered as Arvid across the 6 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.