Given name & surname
Aris
“the best”·“one who is superior”
Aris is a variant of Arissa. In Greek use, Arissa carries the interpretation “one who is superior.” Aris is a form of Aristeo. One Spanish interpretation is “the best.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
In American use, Aris carries the interpretation “the best.” Aris is a variant of Arissa. In Greek use, Arissa carries the interpretation “one who is superior.” Aris is a form of Aristeo. One Spanish interpretation is “the best.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is American.
How it developed
Aris is used as a form of Aristeo.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1914. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Aris through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 4,606
- 2,753 boys · 1,853 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 222 babies
- 2025
- 222
- #1,333 for boys · #2,328 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +28%
- Rising
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 59% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 144 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,333 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 36.4% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 78 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (18). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 4,157 as a first name in 2020; 886 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Aris’s family of names
Aris has a feminine form in Arissa. Aris is a form of Aristeo. Aris has a related form in Arissa.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 10
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Erisequivalent
- Aristeobase name
- Aristosequivalent
- Aristidisequivalent
- Aristaequivalent
- Aristeidesequivalent
- Άριστοςequivalent
- Ἀριστείδηςequivalent
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People named Aris
- Aris VelouchiotisGreek resistance fighter (1905-1945)
- Aris FioretosSwedish writerborn 1960
- Aris KalaizisGerman-Greek painterborn 1966
- Aris AlexandrouGreek novelist, poet, and translator (1922–1978)
- Aristeidis Grigoriadisswimmerborn 1985
- Aris PoulianosGreek anthropologist and archaeologist (1924–2021)
- Aris KonstantinidisGreek architect (1913-1993)
- Aris ServetalisGreek film and television actorborn 1976
- Aris ChristofellisGreek countertenorborn 1960
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Aris, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Ellis
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73% boys · 27% girls
Arden
“one who is passionate and enthusiastic” · “from the valley of the eagles”
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Everest
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Wylie
“a clever and coy woman”
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Merritt
“from the boundary's gate” · “one who deserves good fortune”
34% boys · 66% girls
Hartford
“from the stag's ford”
50% boys · 50% girls
Raleigh
“from the clearing of roe deer”
36% boys · 64% girls
Prescott
“from the priest's cottage”
69% boys · 31% girls