Årvoll takes its name from the ancient Årvoll farm, which still stands in the center of today's community. Orravellir (the name's earlier Norse form) meant "black grouse fields".
The community's children attend Årvoll School, which was opened in 1955. Tonsen Church is located in Årvoll. The local multi-sports team is Årvoll IL.
Årvoll is surrounded by a large expanse of forest including many kilometers of marked cross country ski trails, and is adjacent to Grefsenkollen, a hill affording views of the city, together with walking trails, a small ski area with t-bar lift, and a small pond named Trollvann.
References
^"Årvoll", Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian Bokmål), 2020-06-08, retrieved 2021-05-27