Holding steady.
Popularity of Arvel since 1894
Babies named Arvel per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1921, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Arvel's real moment was 1902.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 20 |
| 1900s | 66 |
| 1910s | 433 |
| 1920s | 591 |
| 1930s | 401 |
| 1940s | 291 |
| 1950s | 158 |
| 1960s | 127 |
| 1970s | 84 |
| 1980s | 14 |
| 1990s | 12 |
| 2000s | 5 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Arvel is a rare masculine name that has never charted in the U.S. top 1000. First recorded in 1894, its highest usage was in 1902, when it peaked but still saw only a handful of births. Over the past century, the name has remained extremely uncommon; its trajectory is described as stable, meaning it has not seen any notable resurgence or decline in recent years. The name may be a variant of Orville, connecting it to the golden age of aviation pioneer Orville Wright, though the connection is indirect. With no top states or high one-in-N figures, Arvel is a truly distinctive choice for parents seeking a rare, historically rooted name.
Arvel is likely a variant of Orville, a name derived from an English surname that itself originates from a Norman French place name meaning 'golden city' (from 'or' meaning gold and 'ville' meaning settlement). Alternatively, it may be a modern coinage combining elements like 'ar' and 'vel'. The name saw modest use in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Arv, Vel
Sibling names for Arvel
Names that share Arvel's style, for a brother or sister.
