Arnoldus

Arnoldus is a masculine given name, most often encountered as the Latinized form of the Germanic name Arnold. The name Arnold itself derives from Old High German Arnwald, built from arni/arn meaning “eagle” and wald or walt meaning “power,” “rule,” or “ruler,” giving a meaning such as “eagle ruler” or “power of the eagle.” The Latin form Arnoldus was widely used in medieval and early modern Europe in church records, legal documents, scholarly works, and bibliographic citations, where Latin served as a common language for authors from diverse regions.

In practice, Arnoldus appears in Dutch, German, and wider European contexts as both a Latinized form and, less commonly, a vernacular given name. Over time, vernacular variants such as Arnold, Arnoud, or Arnaldus emerged, while Arnoldus continued to appear in Latin-language texts and formal records. In historical sources, the name is often encountered as part of a Latin signature, inscription, or cited author rather than as a contemporary everyday given name.

Today, Arnoldus is primarily found in historical, genealogical, or scholarly contexts. It is rarely used as a current given name outside specific regional or familial traditions, and when encountered, it usually signals Latinized or classical naming conventions rather than modern usage. The name is closely related to the more common Arnold and to the broader practice of Latinizing personal names in historical documentation.