Holding steady.
Popularity of Arnella since 1916
Babies named Arnella per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1954, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Arnella's real moment was 1938.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 6 |
| 1920s | 39 |
| 1930s | 21 |
| 1940s | 23 |
| 1950s | 62 |
| 1960s | 10 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 5 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Arnella is a rare feminine given name that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1916, coinciding with a period when elaborations of traditional names were fashionable. Its peak usage occurred in 1938, though it has never been a common name. The name is likely a creative variation of Arnold, combining the familiar Germanic base meaning 'eagle power' with the popular feminine suffix -ella. Despite a stable but extremely low level of use since its introduction, Arnella has not seen a revival in recent decades, and its trajectory remains stable. No states recorded notable usage of Arnella, reflecting its rarity across the country.
Arnella is a feminine elaboration of the masculine name Arnold, likely formed by adding the popular suffix -ella. Arnold derives from the Germanic elements 'arn' (eagle) and 'wald' (power, rule). The name appears in early 20th-century U.S. records as a rare, invented-sounding variant on more common names like Arlene or Arnelle. It has never been widely used.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Arnie, Nella, Arna
Sibling names for Arnella
Names that share Arnella's style, for a brother or sister.
