Uriel Boy

Popularity: #414 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: YOO-ree-el //ˈjʊəriəl//

Origin: Hebrew; Spanish

Meaning: Hebrew: 'God is my light'; Spanish: 'light'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Uriel has its roots in Hebrew, derived from the elements "ur" meaning "light" and "el" meaning "God". Thus, Uriel can be interpreted as "God is my light" or "light of God".

The name appears in various forms across different cultures and languages, transitioning through Greek and Latin before entering English. In the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, Uriel is rendered as Ουριηλ (Ouriel), which was later adopted into Latin as Uriel, maintaining the original meaning and significance.

Historically, Uriel is recognized as one of the archangels in Jewish tradition, often associated with wisdom and enlightenment. He is mentioned in the apocryphal texts, particularly in the Book of Enoch, which dates back to the 3rd century BCE.

Uriel's role as a guide and protector is further emphasized in Christian traditions, where he is sometimes depicted as a guardian of the gates of Eden and a bearer of divine knowledge. The name also appears in various religious texts, including the King James Bible, although not directly as a named figure within its canonical books.

Culturally, Uriel has been embraced in various artistic and literary contexts, symbolizing illumination and divine guidance. The name has been used in literature and art throughout the centuries, often representing the quest for knowledge and the pursuit of truth.

In some traditions, Uriel is associated with the element of fire, reinforcing his connection to light and enlightenment. The diminutive form "Uri" has also emerged in some cultures, reflecting a more familiar or affectionate usage while still retaining the essence of the original name.

Famous people named Uriel

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

We also feature individuals named Uriel 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.

Uriel Acosta is a philosopher best known for his works on Jewish thought and rationalism.

Uriel Orozco is a musician best known for his contributions to the Latin music scene as a guitarist and composer.

Uriel Garcia is a journalist best known for his reporting on social issues and community events.

Fictional characters named Uriel

The following list of fictional characters named Uriel 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.

Uriel is a fictional character from the comic book series The Sandman. He is an angel who serves as a guide and protector in the realm of dreams.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Uriel, 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 Uriel. 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 Uriel was first seen in the United States in 1913.

Uriel has ranked as high as #713 nationally, which occurred in 2008, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Illinois, New York, and Arizona.

In the past 5 years the name Uriel has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

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

Top States for Uriel (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 152
25%
TX 147
24%
NY 37
6%
FL 29
5%
IL 26
4%
WA 21
3%
GA 15
2%
AZ 15
2%
OH 13
2%
PA 12
2%
OK 12
2%
IA 10
2%
MN 9
1%
NC 9
1%
KS 9
1%

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 Uriel.

YearBirths
2024670
2023606
2022626
2021588
2020637
2019655
2018581
2017539
2016557
2015491
2014575
2013571
2012559
2011604
2010615
2009733
2008789
2007741
2006751
2005706
2004587
2003581
2002548
2001509
2000494
1999459
1998406
1997379
1996396
1995358
1994335
1993316
1992307
1991239
1990217
1989156
1988136
1987112
198693
198595
198475
198364
198276
198163
198071
197963
197848
197752
197638
197534
197423
197315
197220
197119
197032
196915
196815
196716
19669
196516
196419
196314
19628
19618
196014
19599
195816
19556
195412
19525
19515
19466
19455
19446
19347
19336
19315
19308
192910
19286
192614
19259
19248
19238
19227
19218
192010
19195
19187
19176
19159
191412
19135