A male name. Old German Arenvald, compound of arin ‘eagle’ and vald ‘power’. It early became Arnoald, Arnald, and finally Arnold. The Normans brought it to England in the French form Arnaud, Arnaut, which accounts for the common Middle English Arnott. The occasional Ernald, Ernold which are found in the 11th and 12th C may represent a survival of the corresponding Old English name Earnweald. The modern form Arnold is probably a comparatively late back­formation from the Latin Arnoldus (cf. the supersession of Harry by Henry). It was a very popular name in the 12th and 13th C and gave rise to a number of surnames (e.g. Arnold, Arnoll, Arnot, Arnott, Arnould, Arnald, Arnall, Arnell, Arnet, Arnett. Later it fell out of use. Camden (1605) seems to regard it as a rare name, but mentions that ‘it hath been common in the old family of the Boyses’. C. W. Bardsley, Dictionary of English and WelshSurnames (pub. 1901), writing about 1870, says ‘of course Arnold is now practically forgotten as a personal name in England’. That is far from being true to-day, when Arnold is once more a comparatively popular name. Ernaldus Domesday Book 1086. Arnoldus Curia Regis Rolls 1189-1213. Arnald or Arnaud Hundred Rolls 1273. Ernald Hundred Rolls 1273. Arnet Hundred Rolls 1273.

From the Teutonic Arnwald (eagle-power), into which, apparently, the obsolete Arnulf (eagle-wolf) and its derivatives have been absorbed, despite the powerful religious associations of the latter; ‘the Arnolds and Arnoldines’—Arnoldine is a German f. name—‘keep their feast upon St. Arnulf’s day, thus confessing that they have no patron of their own’. (Yonge.)

Bailey says this name in Saxon signifies ‘faithful to his honour’ (arn-hold); Lower says the surname Arnulfe is the same as Arnold, in mediaeval records sometimes Latinised Ernulphus (which might translate both ‘help in war’ and ‘helping lord’), but Arnold and Arnhold are Old German names, and there were an Arnould of the seventh century, and an Old Norsk Arnalldr; all doubtless from ern-walt, powerful lord; from er, ern, lord, and walt.

Teutonic (masculine) - Eagle-chief.

A Teutonic name, meaning: The people’s prince: strong as an eagle.