Uriel first name popularity, history and meaning

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

Meaning of Uriel

A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my light".

Popularity of Uriel by gender

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

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 606 male babies and 11 female babies born with the name Uriel.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 11 baby girls were named Uriel in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 606 11
2022 622 16
2021 588 10
2020 637 13
2019 655 13
2018 581 10
2017 538 23
2016 557 10
2015 491 9
2014 575 5
2013 571 10
2012 559 13
2011 604 8
2010 615 7
2009 733 8
2008 789 7
2007 741 9
2006 751 11
2005 706 0
2004 587 7
2003 581 5
2002 548 5
2001 509 9
2000 494 7
1999 459 6
1998 406 8
1997 379 5
1996 396 8
1995 358 5
1994 335 5
1993 315 6
1992 307 9
1991 239 6
1990 217 5
1989 156 0
1988 136 6
1987 112 0
1986 93 0
1985 95 0
1984 75 0
1983 64 0
1982 76 0
1981 63 0
1980 71 0
1979 63 0
1978 48 0
1977 52 0
1976 38 0
1975 34 0
1974 23 0

The history of the first name Uriel

The name Uriel is of Hebrew origin, derived from the biblical phrase "Ur-i El" which means "fire of God" or "light of God." It is a name associated with the archangel Uriel, who is mentioned in various religious and mystical texts.

Uriel is first referenced in the non-canonical Biblical apocryphal Book of Enoch, written in the 3rd century BC. In this text, Uriel is described as one of the leading archangels responsible for providing wisdom and knowledge to humankind. He is also mentioned in other apocryphal texts such as the Book of Ezra and the Apocalypse of Peter.

In the Kabbalah, a school of Jewish mysticism, Uriel is considered one of the four archangels, along with Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. He is associated with the element of earth and is believed to be the angel of repentance and divine wisdom.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Uriel being used for a person is in the 4th century AD. Uriel of Alexandria was a Christian monk and theologian who lived in the Egyptian desert during this time period.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Uriel. Uriel da Costa (1585-1640) was a Portuguese philosopher and writer who was excommunicated for his controversial views on Judaism. Uriel Weinreich (1926-1967) was a linguist and Yiddish scholar who made significant contributions to the study of language contact and language shift.

Other famous individuals named Uriel include Uriel Acosta (c. 1590-1647), a Jewish philosopher and writer from Portugal; Uriel Birnbaum (1894-1956), a Polish-Israeli writer and activist; and Uriel Quesada (1886-1972), a Costa Rican writer and diplomat.

In literature, the name Uriel has been used in works such as John Milton's Paradise Lost, where Uriel is depicted as the archangel who guards the sun. The name has also appeared in various fantasy and science fiction works, often associated with angelic or celestial beings.

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

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

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"Uriel first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/uriel-meaning-and-history/.

"Uriel first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/uriel-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Uriel first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/uriel-meaning-and-history/.

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