Given name & surname
Ariel
“a lioness of God”·“a lion of God”
Ariel is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “a lioness of God” (Hebrew) and “a lion of God” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Original Hebrewאריאל
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “a lioness of God” (Hebrew) and “a lion of God” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
How it developed
From Biblical Hebrew אֲרִיאֵל (ari'él, “lion of God”), built from Hebrew אֲרִי (arí, “lion”) + אֵל (él, “God”).
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1892. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Ariel appears in 2 Samuel 23:20, 1 Chronicles 11:22, Isaiah 29:1-8.
- 2 Samuel 23:20
- 1 Chronicles 11:22
- Isaiah 29:1-8
From biblical name research
Ariel through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 100,665
- 21,968 boys · 78,697 girls
- Most popular year
- 1991
- 6,077 babies
- 2025
- 1,384
- #356 for girls · #558 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −30%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 27% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 851 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 356 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 39.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 5,411 in 1991. It also appeared in 533 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (178). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 87,270 as a first name in 2020; 555 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Ariel’s family of names
In English usage, Ariel has a diminutive in Ari. In English usage, Ariel has a feminine form in Ariella. In English usage, Ariel has a related form in Arielle.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Ariel has relatives in 6 languages. Lines run from its Hebrew roots to each of them.
10 related names in 6 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 17
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 8
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Ariel
- Ariel SharonPrime Minister of Israel from 2001 to 2006 (1928-2014)
- Ariel OrtegaArgentine footballerborn 1974
- Ariel WinterAmerican actressborn 1998
- Ariel HenryHaitian politician and neurosurgeon (born 1949)
- Ariel LinTaiwanese singer-actressborn 1982
- Ariel IbagazaArgentine association football playerborn 1976
- Ari GraynorAmerican actressborn 1983
- Ariel GarcéArgentine association football playerborn 1979
- Ariel RamírezArgentine composer, pianist and music director (1921–2010)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Ariel, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Michal
“brook”
27% boys · 73% girls
Jayme
“he who supplants” · “she who supplants”
36% boys · 64% girls
Jael
“resembling a mountain goat”
49% boys · 51% girls
Jamie
“she who supplants” · “he who supplants”
47% boys · 53% girls
Anaël
Anaël is a unisex given name. It is used in French.
50% boys · 50% girls
Peniel
“face of God”
41% boys · 59% girls
Ahi
“my brother” · “brother (of...)”
36% boys · 64% girls
Rahil
“the innocent lamb” · “ewe”
41% boys · 59% girls