Arnel is of Philippine origin, meaning 'grace'. It's composed of two elements: 'arnal', which signifies a type of coconut tree, and 'el', denoting the light. This name gained popularity in the Philippines during the 20th century and has since become widely recognized throughout the country. Arnel is often associated with Philippine culture and heritage due to its roots in local language and traditions.
The name Arnel experienced a significant upsurge in popularity during the late 1960s to early 1970s, with peaks of 20 births in 1970 and 15 births in both 1974 and 1975. However, it has seen a steady decline since then, with fewer than 10 births recorded each year from the mid-1980s onwards. The most recent data shows 8 births in 2021.