Arek as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Arek

What is the meaning of the name Arek ?

The baby name Arek is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced Polish: /ˈarɛk/ — English approximation: 'AH-rek' (stress on first syllable, 'e' as in 'met').

Arek is Polish in Origin.

Arek is most commonly the Polish diminutive of Arkadiusz, itself from Latin Arcadius via Greek Arkadios, meaning “man from Arcadia,” the idyllic region of Greece. The name moved through late antiquity with figures such as the Eastern Roman emperor Arcadius and early Christian martyrs, then into Slavic forms like Arkady and Arkadiy. In modern Poland, Arek functions as a friendly everyday call-name and is sometimes used independently.

In Armenian, Arek also appears as a variant of Areg, linked to the sun deity Arev and literally “sun” or “solar”; the feminine Arevik means “little sun.” Related forms and cognates include Arkadiusz, Arkady/Arkadiy, Arcadius, Arkadios, Arkadijus, and Armenian Areg. Depending on lineage, the name conveys either “from Arcadia; pastoral/serene” or “sun,” giving Arek a cross‑cultural blend of calm and radiance.