Daniel
DAN-yul /ˈdæn.jəl/
Meaning of Daniel
Daniel comes from the Hebrew דָּנִיֵּאל (Daniyyel): dani ('my judge') + el ('God'). The biblical Book of Daniel — including the lion's den narrative — is the source of the name's enduring Christian and Jewish use. It is one of the small number of names that has stayed in the US top-100 every year since 1880.
Current popularity of Daniel
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #17 |
| Spain (INE) | 2024 | #7 |
Notable bearers of Daniel
Daniel (Hebrew Bible); Daniel Defoe; Daniel Day-Lewis; Daniel Radcliffe.
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Daniel — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31