Arvil
A boy's name of Old English origin with 2,589 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
Alternative spelling of arval.
Arvil is a boy's baby name of Old English origin, a variant of Arval or Arvel, from a term meaning 'funeral feast' — a feast held after a burial in old English and Welsh tradition. Rare and archaic, it was used in the rural American South and Appalachia in the 19th century.
EtymologyShow more
Though Arvil dates back to 1892 in U.S. records, its etymological path is not always straightforward. Names that predate modern naming databases sometimes resist easy classification — they may have been oral traditions, regional family names, or adaptations that were never systematically recorded. The Old English classification provides a starting point, but the full derivation likely involves more nuance than a single label can capture.
Arvil’s 2,589 recorded births provide enough of a footprint to establish it as a real, chosen name in American culture — not a typo or a one-off, but a deliberate selection by hundreds of families.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Arvil has 81+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1892.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 11 | #6726 | ▼ |
| 1970s | 71 | #4098 | ▼ |
| 1960s | 150 | #2285 | ▼ |
| 1950s | 251 | #1563 | ▼ |
| 1940s | 415 | #1068 | ▼ |
| 1930s | 567 | #833 | ▼ |
| 1920s | 666 | #820 | ▲ |
| 1910s | 393 | #888 | ▲ |
| 1900s | 47 | #1084 | ▲ |
| 1890s | 18 | #964 | — |
The Story of Arvil
A Greatest Generation name
Peaking in 1924, Arvil is a name steeped in history. Boys named Arvil are most likely born between 1914 and 1934.
How rare is Arvil?
With 2,589 total births on record, Arvil remains a rare and distinctive pick.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1892, grew steadily over the decades, peaked in the 1920s with 666 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Arvil by the numbers
- Would fill 54 school buses
- Meeting one Arvil per day would take 7.1 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(81 years, 1892–1989)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 6 | #7008 |
| 1982 | 5 | #6443 |
| 1979 | 6 | #5398 |
| 1978 | 6 | #5108 |
| 1976 | 6 | #4974 |
| 1975 | 8 | #3973 |
| 1974 | 9 | #3577 |
| 1973 | 7 | #4087 |
| 1972 | 12 | #2832 |
| 1971 | 9 | #3390 |
| 1970 | 8 | #3540 |
| 1969 | 6 | #3972 |
| 1968 | 11 | #2587 |
| 1967 | 15 | #2036 |
| 1966 | 12 | #2337 |
| 1965 | 12 | #2374 |
| 1964 | 15 | #2119 |
| 1963 | 14 | #2209 |
| 1962 | 23 | #1669 |
| 1961 | 24 | #1636 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Arvil a boy's or girl's name?
When was Arvil most popular?
How popular is the name Arvil?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1892–1989