Ariel

Ariel - A very unique male name

Ariel appeared on the charts for the first time in 1956 on position #1465. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Ariel and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Ariel? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Ariel. The baby boy name Ariel was given to 489 baby boys in 2025, ranking #562 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 2,999 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Ariel peaked in popularity 35 years ago in 1991 on position 365.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Ariel, 1-5?

Ariel is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Ariel is currently topping the baby name charts in Nevada at position #243 - and is the least popular in Virginia at position #978.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Ariel is where you live.

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Ariel origin and meaning

Hebrew

Lion of God; from Hebrew Ari'el, 'lion of God'

Ariel is a Hebrew biblical name, an epithet for Jerusalem, long used for boys. For American boys it peaked in 1991 — boosted, ironically, just after Disney's female Ariel appeared in 1989 — and remains a genuinely unisex name with a strong male tradition.

Attested etymology

Ariel is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Ariel, pop culture references for the name Ariel and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Ariel

We've found the following names that sound similar to Ariel, sorted by popularity.

Arlo / Aurelio / Arlie / Arley / Arlow / Arlee / Arielle / Arel / Auriel / Areli /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Ariel

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Ariel a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Ariel?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

AIR-ee-ul · /ˈɛəriəl/
English speakers split between AIR-ee-ul and ar-ee-EL.

Around the world

• Ariel (Spanish) — Used as-is, usually masculine in Spanish
• Ariel (Hebrew) — Original Hebrew form

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: Ari

Famous bearers

• Ariel Helwani — Canadian-American MMA journalist (b. 1982) Contemporary

Style

BiblicalInternational

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Ariel for boys for its biblical roots and lyrical sound, reclaiming its masculine history. Expect to explain the choice — most Americans meet Ariel as a girl's name first.

Worth knowing

• Overwhelmingly associated with Disney's mermaid for American girls
• Pronunciation splits between AIR-ee-ul and ar-ee-EL