Find out how popular the first name Liriel has been for the last 11 years (from 2006 to 2016) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Liriel by gender

Based on the last 11 years of data, Liriel is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2016, there were 5 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Liriel.

The history of the first name Liriel

The name Liriel is a constructed name, likely derived from the Elvish languages created by J.R.R. Tolkien for his fantasy writings. It does not have a direct origin in any real-world language or culture.

Within Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth universe, the name Liriel could be interpreted as a combination of the Sindarin words "lir" meaning "song" or "melody," and "el" meaning "star" or "elf." This would suggest a meaning along the lines of "song of the stars" or "elven melody."

While the name Liriel itself does not appear in Tolkien's published works, it follows the linguistic patterns and naming conventions he established for his Elvish languages. Names like Lúthien, Elwing, and Arwen share similar melodic qualities and combinations of Elvish word elements.

Given its constructed nature within Tolkien's legendarium, there are no recorded historical figures or references to the name Liriel prior to the 20th century. However, since the publication of Tolkien's works, particularly The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, the name has gained popularity among fans and within fantasy literature.

Notable fictional characters named Liriel include a character from the Forgotten Realms fantasy setting in the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. In this context, Liriel Baenre was a Drow elf and a notable protagonist in the War of the Spider Queen novel series by R.A. Salvatore.

Another notable use of the name Liriel is in the video game series Dragon Age, where Liriel is a character and a member of the Dalish elves, a nomadic elf clan in the game's lore.

While the name Liriel does not have a long historical lineage in the real world, its popularity and usage within fantasy literature and media have firmly established it as an evocative and melodic name associated with elven and fairy-tale themes.

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

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

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