Find out how popular the first name Ariel has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Ariel by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Ariel is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 79% of people named Ariel being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 1,092 female babies and 565 male babies born with the name Ariel.

The history of the first name Ariel

The name Ariel has its origins in Hebrew, derived from the Biblical phrase "Ariel" which translates to "lion of God" or "lioness of God." The earliest known use of the name dates back to the 8th century BC, when it appears in the Book of Isaiah in the Hebrew Bible.

The name gained popularity during the Renaissance period, when it was associated with various literary works and characters. In 1609, the name was used by William Shakespeare for the spirit character Ariel in his play "The Tempest." This helped to solidify the name's association with air, lightness, and freedom.

In the 16th century, the Spanish poet Lope de Vega used the name for a character in his work "El Perseguido" (The Persecuted). The name also appears in the works of other notable authors such as Milton, Shelley, and Sylvia Plath.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Ariel was Ariel ben Levi, a 13th-century German Jewish philosopher and Talmudic scholar. Another notable bearer of the name was Ariel Durant (1898-1981), an American writer and philosopher who co-authored the influential work "The Story of Civilization" with her husband, Will Durant.

In the 20th century, the name gained further popularity with the release of the 1989 Disney animated film "The Little Mermaid," where the character Ariel was the main protagonist. This helped to cement the name's association with grace, beauty, and courage.

Other famous individuals named Ariel include Ariel Sharon (1928-2014), an Israeli military leader and former Prime Minister of Israel, and Ariel Pink (born 1978), an American singer-songwriter known for his experimental pop music.

Ariel Dorfman (born 1942) is a Chilean-American novelist, playwright, and human rights activist, while Ariel Camacho (1992-2015) was a Mexican singer and songwriter who popularized the genre of Sierreño music.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Ariel was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ariel, please contact us.

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