Keriel
A feminine name of unknown origin, possibly related to the word "cherub".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Keriel. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Keriel today is around 10 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Keriel births was 2016 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Keriel. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Keriel. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2016
5 babies that year
Average age
10
years old
2016 SSA rank
#13,285
Tracked since 2016
Popularity
Keriel: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Keriel by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Keriel during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Keriel
The name Keriel is an ancient Hebrew name with origins dating back to biblical times. It is derived from the Hebrew words "kera" meaning "to call" and "el" meaning "God". The name can be translated to mean "one who is called by God" or "God's caller".
In the Old Testament, the name Keriel is mentioned as the name of a son of Judah, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. This reference is found in the Book of Genesis, one of the earliest texts in the Hebrew Bible. However, beyond this brief mention, little is known about the historical figure of Keriel.
The name Keriel is also found in various ancient Hebrew texts and manuscripts, indicating its usage among the Jewish people throughout history. One notable bearer of the name was Keriel ben Yosef, a renowned Jewish scholar and philosopher who lived in Spain during the 11th century.
In the Middle Ages, the name Keriel was relatively uncommon but still appeared sporadically across Europe. One notable figure was Keriel de Lille, a French knight and crusader who participated in the Third Crusade alongside King Richard the Lionheart in the late 12th century.
During the Renaissance period, the name Keriel gained some popularity among certain intellectual and artistic circles. One notable bearer was Keriel Monteiro, a Portuguese painter and illustrator who lived in the 16th century and is known for his intricate religious artwork.
In more recent history, the name Keriel has remained relatively rare, but a few notable individuals have borne the name. One example is Keriel Amin, an Egyptian-born writer and journalist who lived in the early 20th century and wrote extensively about Middle Eastern culture and politics.
Another notable figure was Keriel Sanchez, a Mexican mathematician and physicist who made significant contributions to the field of quantum mechanics in the mid-20th century.
While not a common name today, Keriel has a rich historical legacy that spans various cultures and time periods. Its roots in ancient Hebrew culture and its occasional appearances throughout history make it a unique and intriguing name with a deep cultural significance.
People
Keriel + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Keriel as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Keriel: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Keriel?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Keriel going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Keriel a common name?
We classify Keriel as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Keriel most popular?
The single biggest year for Keriel was 2016, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Keriel is about 10 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Keriel in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Keriel a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Keriel in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Keriel still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Keriel in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Keriel can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Keriel?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.