Ariel
Ariel: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈɛɹiəl/ · /ˈɛəɹɪəl/
Meaning and origin of Ariel
- A male given name from Hebrew, also ascribed to spirits and angels in English literature.
- A female given name from Hebrew, used mainly since the 1980s.
Etymology
From Biblical Hebrew אֲרִיאֵל (ari'él, a compound of אֲרִי (arí, “lion”) + אֵל (él, “God”), literally “lion of God”). * (moon of Uranus): All of Uranus’s moons are named after characters created by William Shakespeare or Alexander Pope. The names of all four satellites of Uranus then known were suggested by John Herschel in 1852 at the request of William Lassell, though it is uncertain if Herschel devised the names, or if Lassell did so and then sought Herschel’s permission. Ariel is the name of the leading sylph in Pope’s The Rape of the Lock and also the spirit who serves Prospero in Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
How popular is Ariel?
Since 1880, 78,697 girls and 21,968 boys in the U.S. have been named Ariel (78% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #66 in 1991. Its highest rank for boys was #360 in 1991. In 2025 it ranked #356 for girls, with 1,384 babies given the name.
Names similar to Ariel
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
More Hebrew unisex names
Sibling name ideas for Ariel
Sister and brother names that share Ariel's Hebrew roots and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Ariel FAQ
What does the name Ariel mean?
A male given name from Hebrew, also ascribed to spirits and angels in English literature. A female given name from Hebrew, used mainly since the 1980s. From Biblical Hebrew אֲרִיאֵל (ari'él, a compound of אֲרִי (arí, “lion”) + אֵל (él, “God”), literally “lion of God”). * (moon of Uranus): All of Uranus’s moons are named after characters created by William Shakespeare or Alexander Pope. The names of all four satellites of Uranus then known were suggested by John Herschel in 1852 at the request of William Lassell, though it is uncertain if Herschel devised the names, or if Lassell did so and then sought Herschel’s permission. Ariel is the name of the leading sylph in Pope’s The Rape of the Lock and also the spirit who serves Prospero in Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
What is the origin of the name Ariel?
Ariel is listed as a name of Hebrew origin.
How popular is the name Ariel?
Since 1880, 78,697 girls and 21,968 boys in the U.S. have been named Ariel (78% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #66 in 1991. Its highest rank for boys was #360 in 1991. In 2025 it ranked #356 for girls, with 1,384 babies given the name.
Is Ariel a boy or girl name?
Ariel is used for both boys and girls in the U.S. (78,697 girls and 21,968 boys since 1880).
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.