'argh' originates from imitative/onomatopoeic exclamations in English, possibly as a variant of earlier exclamations like 'agh' or 'ugh'.

'argh' changed from earlier written forms such as 'agh', 'aargh', and similar spellings in the 19th–20th centuries and was later popularized in comics, fiction, and online communication.

Initially, it was an onomatopoeic cry imitating pain or sudden distress; over time it evolved into a general exclamation of frustration or annoyance, especially common in informal and digital contexts.