Daniel Boy

Popularity: #22 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: DAN-yuhl //ˈdæn.jəl//

Origin: Hebrew; English; French

Meaning: Hebrew: God is my judge; English: derived from Hebrew

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Daniel has its roots in the Hebrew language, originating from the name דָּנִיֵּאל (Daniyyel), which translates to "God is my judge." This name is composed of two elements: "Dan," meaning "to judge," and "El," meaning "God." The name entered the English language through the Latin form "Danielis," which was derived from the Greek "Δανιήλ" (Daniēl). The transition into English occurred during the Middle Ages, influenced by the Norman Conquest and the subsequent integration of Latin and Hebrew texts into English literature and religious practices.

Historically, the name Daniel is most notably associated with the biblical figure Daniel, a prophet in the Old Testament. His story is primarily found in the Book of Daniel, which dates back to the 6th century BCE.

Daniel is celebrated for his wisdom, ability to interpret dreams, and his unwavering faith in God, particularly during his time in Babylonian captivity. The name gained further prominence through various translations of the Bible, including the Septuagint and the Vulgate, and later the King James Bible in the early 17th century, which helped solidify its usage in Christian contexts.

Culturally, the name Daniel has been embraced across various traditions and languages, often symbolizing strength, integrity, and divine judgment. It has been borne by numerous saints, scholars, and historical figures throughout the centuries, contributing to its enduring legacy.

The diminutive form "Danny" has also emerged in various cultures, reflecting a more familiar or affectionate usage of the name. Overall, Daniel's rich etymological background and historical significance have ensured its lasting presence in both religious and secular contexts.

Famous people named Daniel

In this section, you will find notable people named Daniel. 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 Daniel who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Daniel 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.

Daniel Radcliffe is an actor best known for the Harry Potter series, Swiss Army Man, and Now You See Me 2.

Daniel Craig is an actor best known for the James Bond series, Knives Out, and Layer Cake.

Daniel Day-Lewis is an actor best known for There Will Be Blood, Lincoln, and My Left Foot.

Daniel Kaluuya is an actor best known for Get Out, Judas and the Black Messiah, and Black Panther.

Daniel Stern is an actor best known for Home Alone, City Slickers, and The Wonder Years.

Daniel Wu is an actor and director best known for Into the Badlands, The Man with the Iron Fists, and Tomb Raider.

Daniel Levy is a television personality and actor best known for Schitt's Creek, Best in Show, and the Emmy Awards.

Fictional characters named Daniel

The following list of fictional characters named Daniel 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.

Daniel Jackson is a fictional character from the TV series Stargate SG-1. He is an archaeologist and linguist who serves as a key member of the SG-1 team, often providing crucial insights into ancient cultures and languages.

Daniel LaRusso is a fictional character from the film series The Karate Kid. He is a teenager who learns karate to defend himself and ultimately becomes a skilled martial artist under the guidance of Mr. Miyagi.

Sibling suggestions

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

DavidMichaelSamuelJonathanMatthewJoshua

Similar names

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

DanteDominicDariusDamonDylanDustinDawsonDorian

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Daniel was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Daniel has ranked as high as #9 nationally, which occurred in 1985, and has been most popular in California, New York, Texas, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.

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

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Daniel 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 Daniel 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 Daniel.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 8,093 8,085 8
2024 8,436 8,426 10
2023 8,421 8,402 19
2022 9,132 9,121 11
2021 9,174 9,162 12
2020 9,549 9,530 19
2019 10,609 10,592 17
2018 11,315 11,296 19
2017 11,772 11,758 14
2016 13,021 12,996 25
2015 13,563 13,543 20
2014 13,986 13,961 25
2013 14,355 14,326 29
2012 14,323 14,304 19
2011 15,332 15,307 25
2010 15,899 15,869 30
2009 17,604 17,564 40
2008 19,082 19,032 50
2007 20,298 20,268 30
2006 20,129 20,082 47
2005 20,286 20,236 50
2004 21,094 21,018 76
2003 21,125 21,072 53
2002 21,390 21,352 38
2001 21,074 21,013 61
2000 22,401 22,338 63
1999 22,768 22,704 64
1998 23,239 23,165 74
1997 24,030 23,950 80
1996 25,204 25,128 76
1995 26,832 26,728 104
1994 28,196 28,065 131
1993 28,828 28,698 130
1992 29,304 29,157 147
1991 31,101 30,935 166
1990 33,979 33,830 149
1989 35,195 35,007 188
1988 34,998 34,718 280
1987 36,141 35,876 265
1986 36,861 36,573 288
1985 38,853 38,559 294
1984 36,800 36,531 269
1983 35,006 34,748 258
1982 32,907 32,652 255
1981 31,198 30,985 213
1980 30,107 29,888 219
1979 28,723 28,521 202
1978 26,618 26,441 177
1977 26,266 26,073 193
1976 24,874 24,702 172
1975 23,979 23,814 165
1974 23,986 23,833 153
1973 23,814 23,672 142
1972 22,224 22,092 132
1971 21,901 21,785 116
1970 23,622 23,521 101
1969 23,263 23,165 98
1968 22,115 22,012 103
1967 22,283 22,192 91
1966 23,344 23,269 75
1965 24,933 24,833 100
1964 24,418 24,342 76
1963 24,898 24,815 83
1962 25,643 25,543 100
1961 25,969 25,904 65
1960 26,023 25,945 78
1959 25,230 25,155 75
1958 25,685 25,619 66
1957 27,394 27,337 57
1956 26,711 26,655 56
1955 26,508 26,460 48
1954 25,317 25,275 42
1953 23,542 23,498 44
1952 23,449 23,418 31
1951 21,154 21,121 33
1950 19,233 19,189 44
1949 18,286 18,240 46
1948 16,558 16,510 48
1947 15,225 15,189 36
1946 12,900 12,867 33
1945 9,740 9,708 32
1944 9,340 9,314 26
1943 9,202 9,168 34
1942 8,535 8,507 28
1941 7,081 7,050 31
1940 6,248 6,225 23
1939 5,820 5,797 23
1938 5,610 5,583 27
1937 5,140 5,124 16
1936 4,835 4,817 18
1935 4,608 4,591 17
1934 4,524 4,502 22
1933 4,326 4,310 16
1932 4,468 4,449 19
1931 4,386 4,360 26
1930 4,488 4,465 23
1929 4,401 4,366 35
1928 4,460 4,426 34
1927 4,650 4,615 35
1926 4,547 4,516 31
1925 4,573 4,548 25
1924 4,432 4,403 29
1923 4,277 4,264 13
1922 4,306 4,285 21
1921 4,103 4,087 16
1920 3,915 3,897 18
1919 3,536 3,526 10
1918 3,745 3,726 19
1917 3,372 3,360 12
1916 3,160 3,149 11
1915 3,011 3,002 9
1914 2,339 2,325 14
1913 1,885 1,878 7
1912 1,530 1,524 6
1911 796 796 0
1910 692 692 0
1909 569 569 0
1908 530 530 0
1907 528 528 0
1906 506 506 0
1905 489 484 5
1904 472 472 0
1903 432 432 0
1902 501 501 0
1901 416 416 0
1900 605 598 7
1899 485 485 0
1898 523 523 0
1897 520 520 0
1896 561 561 0
1895 516 516 0
1894 515 515 0
1893 522 522 0
1892 533 533 0
1891 505 505 0
1890 505 505 0
1889 515 515 0
1888 566 566 0
1887 556 556 0
1886 555 555 0
1885 535 535 0
1884 573 573 0
1883 615 615 0
1882 594 594 0
1881 527 527 0
1880 643 643 0

Top States for Daniel (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 1,175
14%
TX 1,115
13%
FL 560
7%
NY 560
7%
IL 309
4%
PA 292
3%
NJ 283
3%
NC 277
3%
WA 249
3%
OH 238
3%
AZ 227
3%
GA 224
3%
VA 203
2%
MA 188
2%
MI 176
2%
TN 163
2%
MD 138
2%
IN 136
2%
MO 132
2%
CO 127
2%
SC 108
1%
UT 102
1%
AL 101
1%
OR 98
1%
WI 97
1%
MN 96
1%
KY 87
1%
CT 86
1%
OK 82
1%
KS 75
1%
NV 66
1%
IA 60
1%
NM 60
1%
LA 57
1%
NE 54
1%
MS 46
1%
AR 46
1%
ID 40
0%
MT 28
0%
DC 28
0%
ME 24
0%
WV 24
0%
NH 23
0%
ND 22
0%
RI 22
0%
AK 21
0%
SD 21
0%
DE 19
0%
HI 15
0%