"one who creates art"
Artist
Pronunciation: [ AHRT-uhst ]
A bold word name for the creatively spirited
Meaning & Origin
"skilled craftsman"
Things to Know About This Name
- Associated with Ron Artest, NBA player known for on-court brawl (2004 Malice at the Palace). He later changed his name to Metta World Peace.
The Story of Artist
Artist as a given name is a bold word name derived from the English 'artist,' itself from the Medieval Latin 'artista' meaning a craftsman or skilled person, rooted in Latin 'ars' (art, skill). Word names used as given names are a distinctly American tradition, and Artist represents parents choosing an aspirational identity for their child — one who creates beauty in the world. The name sits at the intersection of creative aspiration and avant-garde naming.
Artist as a given name is rare but has been used by celebrity parents and creative communities. NBA player Ron Artest famously changed his name to Metta World Peace, having previously gone by 'Artist' in various contexts.
In American culture, word names and virtue names have a long tradition. Artist follows in the tradition of names like Justice, Poet, and Lyric that express parental hopes and values through language itself.
Fun Facts
- Ron Artest legally changed his name to Metta World Peace in 2011 and has gone by various artistic names
- Word names like Artist, Legend, and Lyric are part of an American tradition of aspirational naming
- The Latin root 'ars' (art, skill) is also the origin of the name Arthur
Artist in Other Languages
Famous People Named Artist
Metta World Peace (formerly Ron Artest)
Athlete
1979
NBA champion who legally changed his name from Ron Artest to Metta World Peace as an act of peace advocacy
Quick Facts
- Gender
- Boy
- Syllables
- 2
- Popularity Rank
- #1,859
- Total SSA Count
- 87
- Cultural Origins
- American English
- Pronunciation
- Easy
- Formality
- Casual
- Cross-Cultural Ease
- High
Common Nicknames
Pairs Well With
Sibling Names
Also a Girl Name
Artist is also used as a girl name, ranked #8819.
View Artist as a girl name →Similar Names
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Frequently Asked Questions About Artist
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About the Name Artist
Artist is a boy name with American and English origins . The name means "one who creates art" in Latin via English .
Is Artist a boy or girl name? Artist is used as both a boy and girl name. As a boy name, it ranks #1,859 in popularity. As a girl name, it ranks #8,819. Artist is more commonly used as a boy name.
Artist is currently ranked #1,859 in popularity for boy names in the United States.
The name Artist has 2 syllables and is pronounced AHRT-uhst, making it easy to pronounce and remember.
Common nicknames for Artist include Art and Artie. These shorter forms provide casual alternatives while keeping the elegance of the full name.