boy's name
Daniel
DAN-yul
- Origin Hebrew
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 2,652,023
the United States
#22
2025 births
Daniel is a boy's name of Hebrew origin meaning "God is my judge," from Daniyyel. It belongs to the prophet whose book describes his refusal to stop praying and his survival in the lions' den under Babylonian and Persian rule.
- Daniel is a name of Hebrew origin.
- Peaked in 1985, when 38,853 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 410 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Daniel over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s 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 |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 5,679 |
| 1890s | 5,185 |
| 1900s | 5,048 |
| 1910s | 24,066 |
| 1920s | 43,664 |
| 1930s | 48,205 |
| 1940s | 113,115 |
| 1950s | 244,223 |
| 1960s | 242,889 |
| 1970s | 246,007 |
| 1980s | 348,066 |
| 1990s | 273,481 |
| 2000s | 204,483 |
| 2010s | 134,175 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 52,805 |
What Daniel means
Daniel means "God is my judge," combining the Hebrew dan, meaning judge, with El, God. It asserts where final authority lies, which fits the biblical narrative of a man who answers to God rather than to the king whose court he serves.
Where Daniel comes from
Daniel comes from the Hebrew Daniyyel, built from din or dan, to judge, and El, God. The Book of Daniel is set during the Babylonian exile and presents its central figure as a Judean noble serving in the courts of Nebuchadnezzar and later Darius, where his refusal to abandon his own religious practice leads to the episode of the lions' den. The name passed through Greek and Latin into every European language, and was in use in England before the Reformation, unusually for an Old Testament name, largely because of the story's popularity in medieval preaching and drama.
How popular is Daniel?
In 2025, Daniel was given to 8,093 babies in the United States, ranking #22 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where Daniel 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 Daniel
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Daniel also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Daniel over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
3 nicknames for Daniel
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.
Daniel 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 Daniel
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Daniel — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Daniel
What does the name Daniel mean?
Daniel means "God is my judge," from the Hebrew Daniyyel.
Is Daniel a biblical name?
Yes. Daniel is the central figure of the Book of Daniel, best known for surviving the lions' den.
What are nicknames for Daniel?
Dan and Danny are the most common short forms.
How popular is the name Daniel?
In 2025, Daniel was given to 8,093 babies in the United States, ranking #22 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is Daniel a girl's or a boy's name?
Daniel is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Daniel?
Daniel has 2 syllables.
When was Daniel most popular?
Daniel peaked in 1985, when 38,853 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
Is Daniel a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Daniel currently ranks #13 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.