Arnold is a masculine given name of Germanic origin, used in Dutch, English, German, Polish, and other languages. It is composed of the elements arn meaning "eagle" and walt meaning "power, authority," thus signifying "eagle power." The name was brought to England by the Normans, where it replaced the Old English cognate Earnweald. After the Middle Ages, Arnold fell out of use as an English name but was revived in the 19th century. Etymology and History The name Arnold is first recorded in Francia from about the 7th century. It is composed of the Germanic elements arn "eagle" and wald "power, brightness." Early on, it was often conflated with the name Arnulf, as seen in the case of Bishop Arnulf of Metz, also recorded as Arnoald. Arnulf appears to be the older name, with cognates in Old English and Old Norse, and Arnold may have arisen as a corruption of Arnulf, possibly influenced by similar names such as Hari-wald and Arn-hald. The name is attested with some frequency in medieval Germany during the 8th to 11th centuries, in forms such as Arnold, Arnalt, Arnald, and Arnolt. It was occasionally spelled Harnold or Harnald, and may have been conflated with a separate formation containing hari- meaning "host, army." Notable Bearers Several saints have borne the name Arnold, including an 8th-century musician in the court of Charlemagne and an 11th-century French bishop who is the patron saint of brewers. Arnold of Brescia, a 12th-century Augustinian monk who rebelled against the Church and was eventually hanged, is another historical figure. In modern times, the name is famously associated with American golfer Arnold Palmer (1929–2016) and Austrian-American actor and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger (born 1947). Variants and Diminutives Variants of Arnold include Arend, Arnoud, and Arnout in Dutch, and Arnoald in Germanic. Diminutives include Arn and Arnie in English, Arnd, Arndt, Arne 2 in German, and Arno in Dutch. In other languages, the name appears as Arnau (Catalan), Arnaud (French), Arnaldo (Portuguese), Arnoldo (Italian), Naldo (Italian), and Arnolds (Latvian). Meaning: "Eagle power" Origin: Germanic Type: Given name Usage regions: Dutch, English, German, Polish, Germanic