Angel Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: AN-jel //ˈeɪn.dʒəl//
Origin: Greek; Latin
Meaning: Greek: messenger; Latin: angelus (messenger)
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Angel has its roots in the Greek word "angelos," meaning "messenger." This term was adopted into Latin as "angelus," which carried the same meaning. The transition into Old French as "ange" further solidified its use in the context of divine messengers, particularly in Christian theology.
The name entered the English language through Middle English, where it was used to denote both the celestial beings and as a given name, particularly in religious contexts. Historically, the name Angel has been associated with various significant figures and texts.
In the Christian tradition, angels are often depicted as messengers of God, with notable mentions in the Bible, including the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary by the angel Gabriel. This biblical narrative has been influential in shaping the cultural significance of the name, especially during the medieval period when angelic figures were prominent in art and literature.
The name also appears in various forms in different cultures, reflecting its widespread appeal and the universal theme of divine communication. Culturally, the name Angel carries connotations of purity, guidance, and protection, resonating with its etymological roots.
It has been embraced in various traditions, often symbolizing hope and divine intervention. In some cultures, the name is associated with specific saints, such as Saint Michael, the archangel, who is venerated in Christianity.
The diminutive form "Angelo" is also notable, particularly in Italian contexts, where it retains the same meaning and significance. Overall, the name Angel has maintained a lasting presence in various cultures, reflecting its deep historical and spiritual connections.
Fictional characters named Angel
The following list of fictional characters named Angel is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Angel is a fictional character from the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel. He is a vampire with a soul who seeks redemption for his past sins while protecting those he loves.
Angel is a fictional character from the comic book series Angel. They are a central character who navigates the complexities of their supernatural existence while fighting against evil forces.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Angel, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Angel. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Angel was first seen in the United States in 1888.
Angel has ranked as high as #44 nationally, which occurred in 2006, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Illinois, and Arizona.
In the past 5 years the name Angel has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Angel is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Angel was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Angel (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 1,049 | |
| TX | 1,012 | |
| FL | 302 | |
| NY | 203 | |
| AZ | 188 | |
| IL | 179 | |
| GA | 154 | |
| NC | 143 | |
| WA | 101 | |
| MD | 94 | |
| TN | 91 | |
| VA | 89 | |
| IN | 80 | |
| PA | 70 | |
| OK | 65 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Angel.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 4,964 |
| 2023 | 4,890 |
| 2022 | 5,098 |
| 2021 | 4,716 |
| 2020 | 4,524 |
| 2019 | 4,914 |
| 2018 | 5,064 |
| 2017 | 5,274 |
| 2016 | 5,561 |
| 2015 | 6,114 |
| 2014 | 6,313 |
| 2013 | 6,369 |
| 2012 | 7,024 |
| 2011 | 7,536 |
| 2010 | 8,776 |
| 2009 | 9,851 |
| 2008 | 10,356 |
| 2007 | 11,376 |
| 2006 | 11,602 |
| 2005 | 10,993 |
| 2004 | 9,516 |
| 2003 | 9,161 |
| 2002 | 8,192 |
| 2001 | 6,978 |
| 2000 | 6,306 |
| 1999 | 5,402 |
| 1998 | 4,772 |
| 1997 | 4,514 |
| 1996 | 3,912 |
| 1995 | 3,734 |
| 1994 | 3,477 |
| 1993 | 3,036 |
| 1992 | 3,049 |
| 1991 | 2,685 |
| 1990 | 2,406 |
| 1989 | 2,176 |
| 1988 | 1,828 |
| 1987 | 1,654 |
| 1986 | 1,651 |
| 1985 | 1,561 |
| 1984 | 1,418 |
| 1983 | 1,349 |
| 1982 | 1,442 |
| 1981 | 1,300 |
| 1980 | 1,418 |
| 1979 | 1,304 |
| 1978 | 1,249 |
| 1977 | 1,244 |
| 1976 | 1,139 |
| 1975 | 1,092 |
| 1974 | 1,111 |
| 1973 | 1,049 |
| 1972 | 955 |
| 1971 | 1,001 |
| 1970 | 1,035 |
| 1969 | 938 |
| 1968 | 833 |
| 1967 | 772 |
| 1966 | 766 |
| 1965 | 722 |
| 1964 | 697 |
| 1963 | 647 |
| 1962 | 696 |
| 1961 | 669 |
| 1960 | 664 |
| 1959 | 602 |
| 1958 | 529 |
| 1957 | 571 |
| 1956 | 496 |
| 1955 | 433 |
| 1954 | 441 |
| 1953 | 328 |
| 1952 | 313 |
| 1951 | 277 |
| 1950 | 234 |
| 1949 | 185 |
| 1948 | 225 |
| 1947 | 171 |
| 1946 | 137 |
| 1945 | 125 |
| 1944 | 114 |
| 1943 | 117 |
| 1942 | 106 |
| 1941 | 107 |
| 1940 | 90 |
| 1939 | 86 |
| 1938 | 91 |
| 1937 | 103 |
| 1936 | 97 |
| 1935 | 94 |
| 1934 | 119 |
| 1933 | 100 |
| 1932 | 125 |
| 1931 | 107 |
| 1930 | 166 |
| 1929 | 131 |
| 1928 | 136 |
| 1927 | 131 |
| 1926 | 130 |
| 1925 | 122 |
| 1924 | 112 |
| 1923 | 82 |
| 1922 | 90 |
| 1921 | 70 |
| 1920 | 85 |
| 1919 | 70 |
| 1918 | 55 |
| 1917 | 55 |
| 1916 | 63 |
| 1915 | 30 |
| 1914 | 37 |
| 1913 | 30 |
| 1912 | 26 |
| 1911 | 12 |
| 1910 | 13 |
| 1909 | 10 |
| 1908 | 9 |
| 1907 | 9 |
| 1900 | 6 |
| 1899 | 7 |
| 1896 | 5 |
| 1891 | 5 |
| 1890 | 5 |
| 1888 | 8 |