Arch is a short form of Archibald, a Germanic name that means "genuine and bold", and of the occupational name Archer, "bowman". It was a common nickname in the American South a century ago and has returned to public view through quarterback Arch Manning, grandson of Archie Manning, who committed to the University of Texas in 2022. Arch is rare as a given name: it climbed from number 4449 in 2022 to number 2767 in 2025, its highest rank so far.