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.