Ariel
From Biblical Hebrew אֲרִיאֵל (ari'él, a compound of אֲרִי (arí, “lion”) + אֵל (él, “God”), literally “lion of God”).
Every Ariel since 1892 — 100,665 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Ariel
Ariel is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #356 in 2025 with 851 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1892, 100,665 American babies have been named Ariel — about 78% girls and 22% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1991, when 6,077 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Ariel stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Ariel year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 851 | #356 | 533 | #558 |
| 2024 | 1,055 | #300 | 598 | #509 |
| 2023 | 1,096 | #287 | 566 | #521 |
| 2022 | 1,295 | #236 | 519 | #569 |
| 2021 | 1,351 | #220 | 507 | #557 |
| 2020 | 1,472 | #200 | 497 | #565 |
| 2019 | 1,685 | #172 | 511 | #551 |
| 2018 | 1,832 | #154 | 470 | #584 |
| 2017 | 2,076 | #142 | 600 | #488 |
| 2016 | 2,199 | #140 | 601 | #499 |
| 2015 | 2,358 | #137 | 455 | #602 |
| 2014 | 2,445 | #132 | 319 | #743 |
| 2013 | 2,140 | #145 | 298 | #759 |
| 2012 | 1,742 | #181 | 296 | #769 |
| 2011 | 1,438 | #220 | 379 | #623 |
| 2010 | 1,462 | #213 | 413 | #602 |
| 2009 | 1,577 | #205 | 475 | #556 |
| 2008 | 1,553 | #217 | 455 | #568 |
| 2007 | 1,784 | #188 | 521 | #508 |
| 2006 | 1,734 | #202 | 573 | #468 |
| 2005 | 1,568 | #222 | 438 | #547 |
| 2004 | 1,546 | #219 | 416 | #553 |
| 2003 | 1,548 | #213 | 387 | #572 |
| 2002 | 1,548 | #215 | 441 | #514 |
| 2001 | 1,654 | #197 | 405 | #538 |
| 2000 | 1,753 | #184 | 384 | #548 |
| 1995 | 2,149 | #151 | 447 | #484 |
| 1990 | 3,607 | #94 | 408 | #482 |
| 1985 | 600 | #379 | 291 | #513 |
| 1980 | 181 | #853 | 239 | #554 |
| 1975 | 60 | #1,628 | 175 | #616 |
| 1970 | 38 | #2,124 | 83 | #885 |
| 1965 | 11 | #3,966 | 43 | #1,145 |
| 1960 | 12 | #3,703 | 25 | #1,621 |
| 1955 | — | — | 6 | #3,521 |
| 1950 | 9 | #3,677 | 7 | #3,037 |
| 1945 | 8 | #3,403 | 10 | #2,248 |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | 8 | #3,171 | 8 | #2,726 |
| 1930 | 8 | #3,364 | 8 | #3,038 |
| 1925 | 12 | #2,788 | — | — |
| 1920 | 22 | #1,822 | 10 | #2,772 |
| 1915 | 23 | #1,524 | 7 | #3,100 |
| 1910 | 6 | #2,159 | — | — |
| 1905 | 5 | #1,952 | — | — |
| 1900 | 5 | #1,950 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Ariel
- Ariel Sharon Politician · 1928–2014
- Ariel Ramírez Composer · 1921–2010
- Ariel Ortega Soccer player · b. 1974
- Ariel Dorfman Writer · b. 1942
- Ariel Durant Writer · 1898–1981
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ariel mean?
From Biblical Hebrew אֲרִיאֵל (ari'él, a compound of אֲרִי (arí, “lion”) + אֵל (él, “God”), literally “lion of God”).
How popular is the name Ariel in 2025?
Ariel ranked #356 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 851 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Ariel?
100,665 babies have been named Ariel in the United States since 1892, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Ariel most popular?
Ariel peaked in 1991, when 6,077 newborns received the name.
Is Ariel a boy or girl name?
Ariel is used for both: about 78% of babies named Ariel have been girls and 22% boys.
Is the name Ariel rising or falling?
Ariel is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Ariel?
Well-known people named Ariel include Ariel Sharon (politician), Ariel Ramírez (composer), Ariel Ortega (soccer player).