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View Name: Arthur


ARTHUR

Gender: Masculine

Usage: English, French, German, Welsh Mythology

Pronounced: AHR-thər (English), ar-TUYR (French)   [key]

The meaning of this name is unknown. It could be derived from British art "bear" combined with viros "man", or it could be related to Irish art "stone". Alternatively it could be related to an obscure Roman family name Artorius. Arthur is the name of the central character in Arthurian legend, a 6th-century king of the Britons who presided over the knights of the Round Table. He may or may not have been a real person.

The name came into general use in England in the Middle Ages due to the prevalence of Arthurian romances, and it enjoyed a surge of popularity in the 19th century. Famous bearers include German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), mystery author and Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), and science-fiction author Arthur C. Clarke (1917-).

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