unisex name
Ariel
AIR-ee-el
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 3
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 109,532
the United States
#358
2025 births
Ariel means lion of God, and The Little Mermaid moved it hard and briefly. American female births went from 626 in 1987 to 5,411 in 1991, then fell back to 2,187 by 1994 — up and most of the way down inside seven years.
- Ariel is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 1991, when 6,077 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 2,395 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1892.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Ariel over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1890s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 15 |
| 1900s | 52 |
| 1910s | 201 |
| 1920s | 209 |
| 1930s | 136 |
| 1940s | 131 |
| 1950s | 188 |
| 1960s | 584 |
| 1970s | 2,196 |
| 1980s | 9,330 |
| 1990s | 32,804 |
| 2000s | 20,760 |
| 2010s | 23,719 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 10,340 |
What Ariel means
Ariel means lion of God. The Hebrew joins a word for a lion to el, God, and it appears in Isaiah as a name for Jerusalem rather than for a person.
Where Ariel comes from
Ariel is the Hebrew Ari'el — ari, a lion, joined to el, God. Isaiah uses it as a name for Jerusalem, and it also appears as an altar hearth in Ezekiel, so its biblical use is architectural and civic rather than personal. Shakespeare gave it to the air spirit in The Tempest, who is male and neither lion nor angel. Disney's 1989 mermaid made it a girl's name in America almost overnight, and it remains a common boys' name in Israel and across Latin America.
Ariel in use
The Little Mermaid opened in November 1989 and the effect is unmistakable. American female births ran 653 in 1986 and 626 in 1987, then 911, 1,284, and 3,607 in 1990 — the first full year after release — peaking at 5,411 in 1991 before falling to 3,961, 2,707 and 2,187 by 1994. Our data marks it stable now, at 358th in the United States on 1,384 births, 450th in France on 125, 969th in England and Wales on 67 and 1062nd in Ireland. About 76 percent of recorded births are female.
How popular is Ariel?
In 2025, Ariel was given to 1,384 babies in the United States, ranking #358 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Ariel is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Ariel
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Ariel also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Ariel over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Ariel
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Ariel in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Ariel
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Ariel — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Ariel
What does the name Ariel mean?
Lion of God — the Hebrew ari, a lion, joined to el, God.
Did The Little Mermaid make Ariel popular?
Sharply. Female births went from 626 in 1987 to 5,411 in 1991, then fell back to 2,187 by 1994.
Is Ariel a boys' name?
Very much so in Israel and Latin America, and Shakespeare's Ariel is male. About 76 percent of our records are female.
Is Ariel in the Bible?
Yes, but as a name for Jerusalem in Isaiah rather than for a person.
How many syllables are in Ariel?
Ariel has 3 syllables.
What are the nicknames for Ariel?
Ariel is usually shortened to Ari.
Is Ariel a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Ariel currently ranks #321 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.