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

Popularity of Gabriel by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Gabriel is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 98% of people named Gabriel being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 6,745 male babies and 13 female babies born with the name Gabriel.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 13 baby girls were named Gabriel in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Gabriel

The name Gabriel is of Hebrew origin, derived from the biblical name "Gavri'el," which means "God is my strength." It is a combination of the Hebrew words "gever," meaning "man" or "strong," and "El," referring to God.

The name has been used for centuries, with its earliest known appearance in the Book of Daniel in the Hebrew Bible, where Gabriel is depicted as an archangel who interprets visions for the prophet Daniel. The name is also mentioned in the New Testament, where Gabriel is believed to have announced the birth of Jesus Christ to the Virgin Mary.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Gabriel was Gabriel Sionita, a 16th-century Maronite scholar and linguist born in Lebanon around 1577. He was known for his work in translating ancient texts from Arabic, Syriac, and other Semitic languages into Latin.

Another notable historical figure with the name Gabriel was Gabriel de Luetz d'Aramon, a 16th-century French diplomat and military leader who served as the ambassador of France to the Ottoman Empire from 1546 to 1553.

In the 17th century, Gabriel Naudé, born in 1600, was a French scholar and librarian who is widely regarded as the founder of modern library science. He established the Bibliothèque Mazarine, one of the first public libraries in Europe.

During the 18th century, Gabriel Fahrenheit, a German physicist and engineer born in 1686, made significant contributions to the development of the mercury thermometer and introduced the temperature scale that bears his name, the Fahrenheit scale.

In the 19th century, Gabriel Fauré, a French composer and organist born in 1845, is renowned for his works in various genres, including chamber music, piano compositions, and art songs. His Requiem and Pavane are among his most celebrated compositions.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Gabriel, demonstrating its enduring presence and cultural significance across various regions and time periods.

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 Gabriel was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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