Arthur
AH-thuh. Stress the first syllable; th as in thin.
One British English form
Phonetic notation
/ˈɑː.θə/
A place in the Arthurian stories. Arthur carries a connection with the legendary King Arthur and the medieval stories told around him.1
Is Arthur a bear name?
Celtic bear roots are one proposed explanation; the Roman family name Artorius is another. You can enjoy the bear connection while keeping that uncertainty in mind.2
A glimpse of Arthur in 1534
Arthur appears in a Coventry record from 1534. If you like a name with a long English history, that is a small glimpse of it in use.3
One British English pronunciation
AH-thuh, with the emphasis on the first part and the th sound of “thin”.
Sources
- English Heritage: History of Tintagel Castle, english-heritage.org.uk (opens in a new tab)
- Online Etymology Dictionary: Arthur, etymonline.com (opens in a new tab)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources: Arthur, Coventry 1534, dmnes.org (opens in a new tab)
Researched from sources and checked in a separate review. We list reference works, not other baby-name websites. Last revised 4 October 2026.
Keep Arthur. Your Shortlist starts here.
Tell us a little of your family’s story. When you save it, Arthur waits on your Shortlist beside the names we find for you.
Your first ten names are free. Premium keeps fresh names coming.