Ariel Unisex

Popularity: #332 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: AIR-ee-uhl //ˈɛəriəl//

Origin: Hebrew; English

Meaning: Hebrew: Lion of God; English: Air or Spirit

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Ariel has its roots in the Hebrew language, derived from the word 'Ari'el' (אֲרִיאֵל), which translates to 'lion of God.' This etymology reflects a combination of 'ari' (lion) and 'El' (God), emphasizing strength and divine connection. The name appears in the Hebrew Bible, where it is associated with the city of Jerusalem and is used metaphorically to refer to the altar or the temple.

The name's transition into English occurred through the Latin 'Ariel,' which was adopted in various forms during the Renaissance, particularly through translations of biblical texts and literary works, including Shakespeare's play 'The Tempest' in the early 17th century, where Ariel is depicted as a spirit of the air, showcasing the name's versatility and appeal in literature. Historically, Ariel has been borne by notable figures in religious texts and literature.

In the Bible, the name is mentioned in the context of the prophetic writings, signifying a place of significance. The use of Ariel in Shakespeare's work further popularized the name in the English-speaking world, where it was imbued with connotations of ethereal beauty and freedom.

The character of Ariel in 'The Tempest' is portrayed as a servant spirit, embodying themes of transformation and liberation, which resonated with audiences and contributed to the name's enduring legacy. Culturally, Ariel has been associated with various symbolic meanings, including strength, spirituality, and a connection to nature.

The name has been embraced in various artistic and literary contexts, often representing characters that embody grace and resilience. Additionally, diminutive forms like Ari have emerged, reflecting a more intimate or affectionate usage of the name.

Overall, Ariel's rich etymological background and historical significance have contributed to its lasting presence in various cultures.

Famous people named Ariel

In this section, you will find notable people named Ariel. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Ariel who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Ariel who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Ariel Winter is an actress best known for her role as Alex Dunphy on Modern Family, and for her voice work in Sofia the First.

Ariel Pink is a musician and singer-songwriter best known for his albums Before Today, Pom Pom, and Dedicated to Bobby Jameson.

Ariel Levy is a journalist and author best known for her work in The New Yorker and her book Female Chauvinist Pigs.

Fictional characters named Ariel

The following list of fictional characters named Ariel 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.

Ariel is a fictional character from the Disney animated film The Little Mermaid. She is a young mermaid princess who dreams of becoming human and falls in love with a human prince.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Ariel, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

SophiaIsabellaOliviaMiaChloeLily

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Ariel. 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.

AriellaArianaAlyssaAmeliaAdrianaAlinaAnyaAllegra

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Ariel was first seen in the United States in 1892.

Ariel has ranked as high as #122 nationally, which occurred in 1991, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Ariel has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Ariel 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 Ariel was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

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 Ariel.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 1,384 533 851
2024 1,653 598 1,055
2023 1,662 566 1,096
2022 1,814 519 1,295
2021 1,858 507 1,351
2020 1,969 497 1,472
2019 2,196 511 1,685
2018 2,302 470 1,832
2017 2,676 600 2,076
2016 2,800 601 2,199
2015 2,813 455 2,358
2014 2,764 319 2,445
2013 2,438 298 2,140
2012 2,038 296 1,742
2011 1,817 379 1,438
2010 1,875 413 1,462
2009 2,052 475 1,577
2008 2,008 455 1,553
2007 2,305 521 1,784
2006 2,307 573 1,734
2005 2,006 438 1,568
2004 1,962 416 1,546
2003 1,935 387 1,548
2002 1,989 441 1,548
2001 2,059 405 1,654
2000 2,137 384 1,753
1999 2,256 422 1,834
1998 2,617 467 2,150
1997 2,654 442 2,212
1996 2,393 469 1,924
1995 2,596 447 2,149
1994 2,631 444 2,187
1993 3,148 441 2,707
1992 4,417 456 3,961
1991 6,077 666 5,411
1990 4,015 408 3,607
1989 1,667 383 1,284
1988 1,256 345 911
1987 920 294 626
1986 952 299 653
1985 891 291 600
1984 917 281 636
1983 965 315 650
1982 878 294 584
1981 464 236 228
1980 420 239 181
1979 370 216 154
1978 385 223 162
1977 262 157 105
1976 240 177 63
1975 235 175 60
1974 191 155 36
1973 148 106 42
1972 131 100 31
1971 113 87 26
1970 121 83 38
1969 112 82 30
1968 109 82 27
1967 73 60 13
1966 38 28 10
1965 54 43 11
1964 50 34 16
1963 38 29 9
1962 27 27 0
1961 46 35 11
1960 37 25 12
1959 20 15 5
1958 16 16 0
1957 35 24 11
1956 23 18 5
1955 6 6 0
1954 14 6 8
1953 19 9 10
1952 20 12 8
1951 19 12 7
1950 16 7 9
1949 14 6 8
1948 15 10 5
1947 13 0 13
1946 18 7 11
1945 18 10 8
1944 13 7 6
1943 16 0 16
1942 13 5 8
1941 11 0 11
1939 7 0 7
1938 24 13 11
1937 17 9 8
1936 11 0 11
1935 16 8 8
1934 13 7 6
1933 7 0 7
1932 8 0 8
1931 17 8 9
1930 16 8 8
1929 25 11 14
1928 16 9 7
1927 19 7 12
1926 8 0 8
1925 12 0 12
1924 19 8 11
1923 23 13 10
1922 29 12 17
1921 26 10 16
1920 32 10 22
1919 11 0 11
1918 33 8 25
1917 24 9 15
1916 34 7 27
1915 30 7 23
1914 16 9 7
1913 24 5 19
1912 9 0 9
1911 14 0 14
1910 6 0 6
1909 7 0 7
1908 12 0 12
1907 9 0 9
1906 8 0 8
1905 5 0 5
1904 6 0 6
1900 5 0 5
1899 5 0 5
1894 5 0 5
1892 5 0 5

Top States for Ariel (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 312
20%
TX 286
18%
FL 101
6%
NY 98
6%
IL 64
4%
GA 59
4%
AZ 58
4%
WA 43
3%
NC 40
3%
NJ 40
3%
OH 39
2%
VA 35
2%
TN 32
2%
PA 30
2%
IN 27
2%
CO 27
2%
MD 27
2%
AL 22
1%
KY 20
1%
MN 20
1%
NM 19
1%
NV 19
1%
MI 17
1%
KS 16
1%
SC 16
1%
MA 16
1%
AR 15
1%
LA 11
1%
UT 11
1%
MO 10
1%
OR 10
1%
WI 9
1%
MS 9
1%
OK 8
1%
IA 7
0%
NE 5
0%
CT 5
0%