The son of Art; or the criminal act of fire-setting
As a surname, it likely originated as a patronymic meaning 'son of Art' or 'son of Arnold.' In a modern context, it is almost exclusively associated with the English word for the illegal act of setting fire to property. It is rarely used as a given name due to this heavy criminal connotation.
Less common today
Arson isn't in the latest US Top 1000. It last peaked at #6,180 in 2023.
US births per 5-year period, 1990–present (SSA data).
