Meaning & History
Arn is an English short form of Arnold. The parent name derives from a Germanic name meaning "eagle power", from the elements arn "eagle" and walt "power, authority". Brought to England by the Normans, Arnold replaced the Old English cognate Earnweald.
History and Usage
Although Arnold died out as an English given name after the Middle Ages, it was revived in the 19th century. As a diminutive, Arn was likely revived alongside the parent name.
Notable Bearers
Notable bearers of the full name Arnold include Saints such as an 8th-century musician in the court of Charlemagne and an 11th-century French bishop who is the patron saint of brewers. Later figures include Arnold of Brescia, a 12th-century Augustinian monk who rebelled against the Church, and modern bearers such as American golfer Arnold Palmer (1929–2016) and Austrian-American actor and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger (born 1947). The short form Arn is less common as a given name but has been used as a surname.
Statistics and Distributions
According to the 2010 United States Census, Arn is the 29,403rd most common surname, borne by 804 individuals, and is predominantly White (95.27%). As a diminutive, it also occurs in East Central German (Etymology section: Arn is a diminutive of Arno or Arnold in the Erzgebirgisch dialect).
Related Names
Variants of the short form include Arnie. In other languages, cognates include Catalan Arnau, Polish Arnold, Dutch Arnoud and Arnout, Aart, German Arend, and more.
Key Facts:
- Meaning: Short form of Arnold ("eagle power")
- Origin: English (short form of Norman given name)
- Type: Diminutive, also a surname
- Usage Regions: English-speaking countries, also German dialect usage
Related Names
Sources: Wiktionary — Arn