Arthur, the name that arrives with its own legend

Where the name Arthur comes from

Nobody knows for certain where Arthur began, which is rather fitting for a name tied to a legend. The two explanations most often given both point back to early Britain. One links it to the old Celtic word for a bear — "arth" in Welsh still means bear today — so Arthur would be a bear-strong name. The other traces it to Artorius, a Roman family name that could have reached Britain during Roman times.

What is certain is how the name spread. Early Welsh poems and chronicles mention a war leader called Arthur, and in the twelfth century Geoffrey of Monmouth turned him into a great king in his history of Britain. Medieval writers in France and England then added Camelot, the knights, Guinevere and the quest for the Grail. By the time Thomas Malory wrote Le Morte d'Arthur in the fifteenth century, Arthur was the most famous king who may never have existed.

As a name for real boys, Arthur rose and fell with the legend's popularity. It was a favourite of the Victorians, who adored all things Camelot, then slipped out of fashion for much of the twentieth century and began to sound like a great-grandfather's name. Over the last couple of decades it has come roaring back, and in recent years Arthur has sat among the most popular boys' names in England and Wales. Today it manages to sound both classic and fresh at the same time.

The name travels well, too. In France he is Arthur with the stress at the end, in Italy and Spain Arturo, in Poland, Germany and Scandinavia often Artur — handy if Arthur has family abroad.

The bear meaning is a nice detail to tell a child: it gives Arthur a ready-made animal to love. A teddy bear tucked into the story or a line about bears in the dedication suddenly means something — bear-strong Arthur and his bear make an easy pair. And because the name has been carried by kings, writers, inventors and grandfathers alike over the centuries, it never feels tied to one era or one kind of boy. A quiet, bookish Arthur and a muddy-kneed football-mad Arthur both wear it equally well.

Archie, Artie and other ways to call Arthur

• Arthur — The full name — good for the book cover, for school registers and for the moment in the story when the hero needs to sound serious.
• Archie — The cheerful everyday form many families use. Strictly speaking it began as a short form of a different name, but today it is a very common nickname for Arthur and suits a lively little boy.
• Artie — Soft and affectionate, often what grandparents and younger siblings land on. Lovely for the characters closest to him in the story.
• Art — Short and slightly grown-up. Older boys often pick it themselves; in a story it works well for a teammate shouting across the pitch.
• Arty — A playful spelling of the same sound, more of a family joke than a name for the cover.
• Sir Arthur — Not a nickname exactly, but which Arthur hasn't been knighted at least once with a wooden spoon? A fun way for a character in the book to address him.