Abdiel m Biblical, Biblical GreekMeans
"servant of God" in Hebrew, from
עֶבֶד (ʿeveḏ) meaning "servant, slave" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament, this is the name of a member of the tribe of Gad. In John Milton's
Paradise Lost (1667), this is the name of a seraph who withstands Satan when he urges the angels to revolt.
Abel m English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Georgian, Armenian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
הֶבֶל (Hevel) meaning
"breath". In the Old Testament he is the second son of
Adam and
Eve, murdered out of envy by his brother
Cain. In England, this name came into use during the Middle Ages, and it was common during the Puritan era.
Abiel m BiblicalMeans
"God is my father" in Hebrew, from
אָב (ʾav) meaning "father" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This was the name of the grandfather of
Saul according to the Old Testament.
Ammiel m Biblical, Biblical HebrewMeans
"God is my kinsman" in Hebrew, from the roots
עַם (ʿam) meaning "people, nation, kinsman" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is the name of one of the spies sent out by
Moses in the Old Testament.
Angel m & f English, Bulgarian, MacedonianFrom the medieval Latin masculine name
Angelus, which was derived from the name of the heavenly creature (itself derived from the Greek word
ἄγγελος (angelos) meaning "messenger"). It has never been very common in the English-speaking world, where it is sometimes used as a feminine name in modern times.
Ansel m EnglishFrom an English surname that was derived from the given name
Anselm. A famous bearer was American photographer Ansel Adams (1902-1984).
Ariel m & f Hebrew, English, French, Spanish, Polish, Biblical, Biblical GreekMeans
"lion of God" in Hebrew, from
אֲרִי (ʾari) meaning "lion" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament it is used as another name for the city of Jerusalem. Shakespeare utilized it for a spirit in his play
The Tempest (1611) and Alexander Pope utilized it for a sylph in his poem
The Rape of the Lock (1712), and one of the moons of Uranus bears this name in his honour. As an English name, it became more common for females in the 1980s, especially after it was used for the title character in the Disney film
The Little Mermaid (1989).
Armel m Breton, FrenchBreton and French form of the Old Welsh name
Arthmail, which was composed of the elements
arth "bear" and
mael "prince, chieftain". This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint who founded abbeys in Brittany.
Astrophel m LiteratureProbably intended to mean "star lover", from Greek
ἀστήρ (aster) meaning "star" and
φίλος (philos) meaning "lover, friend". This name was first used by the 16th-century poet Philip Sidney in his collection of sonnets
Astrophel and Stella.
Azazel m BiblicalMeans
"scapegoat" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, this is the name of the recipient of a sacrificial goat. The identity of Azazel is not clear; it may in fact be the name of the place where the goat is to be sacrificed, or it may be the name of some sort of evil desert demon.
Azel m BiblicalMeans
"reserved" in Hebrew. This is both the name of a minor character and a place name in the Old Testament.
Aziel m Biblical, Biblical HebrewPossibly means
"God comforts" in Hebrew, from the roots
עוּז (ʿuz) meaning "to take refuge" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Otherwise it might a variant of
Uzziel. This is the name of a musician (also called Jaaziel) in the Old Testament.
Azrael m Judeo-Christian-Islamic LegendVariant of
Azarel. This is the name of an angel in Jewish and Islamic tradition who separates the soul from the body upon death. He is sometimes referred to as the Angel of Death.
Azriel m BiblicalMeans
"my help is God" in Hebrew, derived from
עֶזְרָה (ʿezra) meaning "help" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is the name of three minor characters in the Old Testament.
Bethuel m BiblicalPossibly means
"destruction of God" in Hebrew, from
בָּתָה (baṯa) meaning "destruction" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of
Rebecca.
Brochfael m Medieval WelshFrom Old Welsh
Brochmail, from a Brythonic name *
Broccomaglos, derived from Celtic *
brokkos "badger" and *
maglos "chief". This was the name of a 6th-century king of Powys, also known as
Brochwel.
Cadfael m Welsh (Rare)From Old Welsh
Catmail meaning
"battle prince", from
cat "battle" and
mael "prince". This was apparently the birth name of Saint Cadoc. It was used by the British author Ellis Peters for the main character in her books
The Cadfael Chronicles, first released in 1977.
Cáel m Irish MythologyFrom Old Irish
cáel meaning
"slender". In Irish legend Cáel was a warrior of the Fianna and the lover of Créd.
Carmel f & m English, JewishFrom the title of the Virgin
Mary Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
כַּרְמֶל (Karmel) (meaning "garden" in Hebrew) is a mountain in Israel mentioned in the Old Testament. It was the site of several early Christian monasteries. As an English given name, it has mainly been used by Catholics. As a Jewish name it is unisex.
Cassiel m Judeo-Christian-Islamic LegendFrom Hebrew
קַפצִיאֵל (Qaftsiʾel), of uncertain meaning. Suggested meanings include
"leap of God",
"drawn together by God" or
"wrath of God". This is the name of an angel in medieval Jewish, Christian and Islamic mysticism.
Castiel m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend, Popular CulturePossibly a variant of
Cassiel. It is the name of an angel in the grimoire the
Heptameron, a work that is sometimes (probably incorrectly) attributed to the 13th-century philosopher Pietro d'Abano. It was also the name of a character (an angel) on the American television series
Supernatural (2005-2020). The creator Eric Kripke chose it after an internet search revealed that Castiel was an angel associated with Thursdays, the day the show aired.
Ciel f & m Various (Rare)Means
"sky" in French. It is not used as a given name in France itself.
Daniel m English, Hebrew, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Finnish, Estonian, Armenian, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
דָּנִיֵּאל (Daniyyel) meaning
"God is my judge", from the roots
דִּין (din) meaning "to judge" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Daniel was a Hebrew prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. He lived during the Jewish captivity in Babylon, where he served in the court of the king, rising to prominence by interpreting the king's dreams. The book also presents Daniel's four visions of the end of the world.
... [more] Denzel m English (Modern)Possibly a variant of
Denzil. This spelling of the name was popularized by American actor Denzel Washington (1954-), who was named after his father.
Edsel m VariousVariant of
Etzel notably borne by Edsel Ford (1893-1943), the son of the American industrialist Henry Ford.
El m Semitic MythologyFrom a Semitic root meaning
"god". This was a title applied to several Semitic gods. The Canaanites used it as the name of their chief deity, the father of the gods and mankind. The Hebrews used it to refer to
Yahweh.
Emmanuel m Biblical, French, EnglishFrom the Hebrew name
עִמָּנוּאֵל (ʿImmanuʾel) meaning
"God is with us", from the roots
עִם (ʿim) meaning "with" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This was the foretold name of the Messiah in the Old Testament. It has been used in England since the 16th century in the spellings
Emmanuel and
Immanuel, though it has not been widespread. The name has been more common in continental Europe, especially in Spain and Portugal (in the spellings
Manuel and
Manoel).
Engel m & f Germanic, German (Rare)Originally this may have been a short form of Germanic names beginning with the element
angil, referring to the Germanic tribe known in English as the Angles. However, from early times it has been strongly associated with the Old German word
engil meaning
"angel" (of Latin and Greek origin).
Etzel m Germanic MythologyForm of
Attila used in the medieval German saga the
Nibelungenlied. In the story Etzel is a fictional version of Attila the Hun.
Ezekiel m Biblical, EnglishFrom the Hebrew name
יְחֶזְקֵאל (Yeḥezqel) meaning
"God will strengthen", from the roots
חָזַק (ḥazaq) meaning "to strengthen" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Ezekiel is a major prophet of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Ezekiel. He lived in Jerusalem until the Babylonian conquest and captivity of Israel, at which time he was taken to Babylon. The Book of Ezekiel describes his vivid symbolic visions that predict the restoration of the kingdom of Israel. As an English given name,
Ezekiel has been used since the Protestant Reformation.
Fidel m SpanishFrom the Late Latin name
Fidelis meaning
"faithful", a derivative of
fides "faith". A famous bearer was the revolutionary leader and Cuban president Fidel Castro (1926-2016).
Fishel m YiddishMeans
"little fish" in Yiddish, a diminutive of
פֿיש (fish) meaning "fish".
Florizel m LiteratureFrom Latin
floris, the genitive case of
flos meaning
"flower". This name was used by Shakespeare for the prince of Bohemia and the lover of
Perdita in his play
The Winter's Tale (1610).
Friedel m & f GermanDiminutive of names containing the Old German element
fridu meaning "peace".
Gabriel m French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
גַבְרִיאֵל (Ḡavriʾel) meaning
"God is my strong man", derived from
גֶּבֶר (gever) meaning "strong man, hero" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Gabriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition, often appearing as a messenger of God. In the Old Testament he is sent to interpret the visions of the prophet
Daniel, while in the New Testament he serves as the announcer of the births of
John to
Zechariah and
Jesus to
Mary. According to Islamic tradition he was the angel who dictated the Quran to
Muhammad.
... [more] Gamaliel m Biblical, Biblical GreekMeans
"my reward is God" in Hebrew, from the roots
גָּמַל (gamal) meaning "to reward" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This name appears in the Old Testament belonging to a son of Pedahzur. It was also borne by a 1st-century Jewish priest and scholar, mentioned in Acts in the New Testament as a teacher of Saint
Paul.
Gwenaël m French, BretonMeans
"blessed and generous" from Breton
gwenn meaning "white, blessed" and
hael meaning "generous". Saint Gwenhael was a 6th-century abbot of Brittany.
Hallel f & m HebrewDerived from Hebrew
הָלַל (halal) meaning
"praise". This is the name of a Jewish prayer, consisting of several psalms. The more traditional name
Hillel, which is typically only masculine, is spelled the same but is vocalized with a different vowel.
Hansel m LiteratureAnglicized form of
Hänsel. This is the name of a boy in a German fairy tale, recorded in 1812 by the Brothers Grimm with the title
Hänsel und Gretel. In the tale Hansel and his sister
Gretel are abandoned in the woods by their parents, then taken captive by a witch.
Harel m HebrewMeans
"altar, mountain of God" in Hebrew. In the Hebrew Bible this word is applied to the altar in the temple in Jerusalem (
Ezekiel 43:15).
Hazael m BiblicalMeans
"God sees" in Hebrew, from
חָזָה (ḥaza) meaning "to see" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is the name of a king of Aram in the Old Testament.
Hershel m American, YiddishYiddish diminutive of
Hirsh. As a non-Jewish American name (somewhat common around the end of the 19th century), it was likely inspired by the German surname
Herschel, borne for instance by the British-German astronomer William Herschel (1738-1822).
Hillel m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical HebrewDerived from Hebrew
הָלַל (halal) meaning
"praise". This name is mentioned briefly in the Old Testament as the father of the judge Abdon. It was also borne by the 1st-century BC Jewish scholar Hillel the Elder.
Hoel m Breton, Arthurian CycleBreton form of
Hywel. This was the name of two dukes of Brittany. According to the chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth, it was borne by a ruler of Brittany who was an ally of King
Arthur.
Hywel m WelshFrom Old Welsh
Higuel meaning
"eminent, prominent" (literally
"well-seen"). This was the name of a few Welsh kings, including the 10th-century Hywel the Good who was known for establishing laws.
Ishmael m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יִשְׁמָעֵאל (Yishmaʿel) meaning
"God will hear", from the roots
שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) meaning "to hear" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of
Abraham. He is the traditional ancestor of the Arab people. Also in the Old Testament, it is borne by a man who assassinates
Gedaliah the governor of Judah. The author Herman Melville later used this name for the narrator in his novel
Moby-Dick (1851).
Ithel m WelshFrom the Old Welsh name
Iudhail, cognate of Old Breton
Iudicael (see
Judicaël).
Ithiel m BiblicalPossibly means
"God is with me" in Hebrew. This is the name of a minor character in the Old Testament.
Jahleel m BiblicalMeans
"God waits" in Hebrew, from
יָחַל (yaḥal) meaning "to wait" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This name is mentioned briefly in the Old Testament.
Jehiel m BiblicalMeans
"God will live" in Hebrew, from
חָיָה (ḥaya) meaning "to live" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is the name of several people in the Old Testament, including one of King
David's lute players.
Jerahmeel m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יְרַחְמְאֵל (Yeraḥmeʾel) meaning
"God will have pity", derived from
רָחַם (raḥam) meaning "to pity" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This name is borne by a few minor characters in the Old Testament.
Jewel f & m EnglishIn part from the English word
jewel, a precious stone, derived from Old French
jouel, which was possibly related to
jeu "game". It is also in part from the surname
Jewel or
Jewell (a derivative of the Breton name
Judicaël), which was sometimes used in honour of the 16th-century bishop of Salisbury John Jewel. It has been in use as a given name since the 19th century.
Joel m English, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Finnish, Estonian, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יוֹאֵל (Yoʾel) meaning
"Yahweh is God", from the elements
יוֹ (yo) and
אֵל (ʾel), both referring to the Hebrew God. Joel is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Joel, which describes a plague of locusts. In England, it was first used as a Christian name after the Protestant Reformation.
Jor-El m Popular CultureCreated by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1936 for a minor character comic book character. Originally spelled
Jor-L, the name was reused (or the character was repurposed) for that of Superman's father in 1939. The spelling was changed to
Jor-el and then
Jor-El in the 1940s. His son Superman's birth name is
Kal-El.
Judicaël m French, BretonFrench form of the Old Breton name
Iudicael, derived from the elements
iudd "lord" and
hael "generous". This was the name of a 7th-century Breton king, also regarded as a saint.
Kal-El m Popular Culture, English (Modern)Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938 as the birth name of the comic book hero Superman, who came from the distant planet Krypton. The original spelling
Kal-L was changed to
Kal-El in the 1940s. Some have theorized that
El is inspired by the common Hebrew name element
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Although Siegel and Shuster were Jewish, there is no evidence that they had this connection in mind, and it seems possible they simply made it up. Superman's other name, Clark Kent, was given to him by his adoptive parents.
... [more] Kemuel m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
קְמוּאֵל (Qemuʾel) meaning
"raised by God", derived from
קוּם (qum) meaning "to raise" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is the name of a nephew of
Abraham in the Old Testament.
Lael m Biblical, Biblical HebrewMeans
"of God" in Hebrew. This is the name of the father of Eliasaph in the Old Testament. It is misspelled as
Δαήλ (Dael) in the Greek translation, the Septuagint.
Lemuel m Biblical, Mormon, Biblical HebrewMeans
"for God" in Hebrew, from the proposition
לְמוֹ (lemo) combined with
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This was the name of a king briefly mentioned in Proverbs in the Old Testament. In the Book of Mormon it is the name of a rebellious son of
Lehi and
Sariah. It is also borne by the hero of Jonathan Swift's novel
Gulliver's Travels (1726).
Lionel m French, English, Arthurian CycleFrench diminutive of
Léon. It appears in Arthurian legend in the 13th-century
Lancelot-Grail Cycle, belonging to a knight who was the brother of Sir
Bors. A notable modern bearer is the Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi (1987-).
Maël m French, BretonFrench form of Breton
Mael meaning
"prince, chieftain, lord". Saint Mael was a 5th-century Breton hermit who lived in Wales.
Mansel m English (Rare)From an English surname that originally referred to a person who came from the French city of Le Mans.
Manuel m Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian, French, Romanian, Late Greek (Latinized)Spanish and Portuguese form of
Emmanuel. In the spelling
Μανουήλ (Manouel) it was also used in the Byzantine Empire, notably by two emperors. It is possible this form of the name was transmitted to Spain and Portugal from Byzantium, since there were connections between the royal families (king Ferdinand III of Castile married Elisabeth of Hohenstaufen, who had Byzantine roots, and had a son named Manuel). The name has been used in Iberia since at least the 13th century and was borne by two kings of Portugal.
Michael m English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Czech, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
מִיכָאֵל (Miḵaʾel) meaning
"who is like God?", derived from the interrogative pronoun
מִי (mi) combined with
ךְּ (ke) meaning "like" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is a rhetorical question, implying no person is like God. Michael is one of the archangels in Hebrew tradition and the only one identified as an archangel in the Bible. In the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament he is named as a protector of Israel (see
Daniel 12:1). In the Book of Revelation in the New Testament he is portrayed as the leader of heaven's armies in the war against Satan, and is thus considered the patron saint of soldiers in Christianity.
... [more] Michel m French, German, DutchFrench form of
Michael. Michel de Nostredame (1503-1566), also known as Nostradamus, was a French astrologer who made predictions about future world events. Another famous bearer is the retired French soccer player Michel Platini (1955-). This is also the German diminutive form of
Michael.
Miguel m Spanish, Portuguese, GalicianSpanish, Portuguese and Galician form of
Michael. A notable bearer of this name was Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616), the Spanish novelist and poet who wrote
Don Quixote.
Nathaniel m English, BiblicalVariant of
Nathanael. It has been regularly used in the English-speaking world since the Protestant Reformation. This has been the most popular spelling, even though the spelling
Nathanael is found in most versions of the New Testament. The American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864), author of
The Scarlet Letter, was a famous bearer of this name.
Nigel m EnglishFrom
Nigellus, a medieval Latinized form of
Neil. It was commonly associated with Latin
niger "black". It was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to Walter Scott's novel
The Fortunes of Nigel (1822).
Noël m FrenchMeans
"Christmas" in French. In the Middle Ages it was used for children born on the holiday. A famous bearer was the English playwright and composer Noël Coward (1899-1973).
Noel m & f EnglishEnglish form of
Noël or
Noëlle (rarely). It was fairly popular in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand in the middle of the 20th century. It is occasionally written with a diaeresis, like in French. A famous bearer is British musician Noel Gallagher (1967-).
Othniel m BiblicalMeaning uncertain, possibly
"lion of God" or
"strength of God" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is a nephew or brother of
Caleb who becomes the first of the ruling judges of the Israelites.
Paltiel m Biblical, Biblical HebrewMeans
"God is my deliverance" in Hebrew, derived from
פָּלַט (palaṭ) meaning "to deliver, to rescue, to escape" combined with
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is the name of two Israelites in the Old Testament.
Raphael m German, English, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
רָפָאֵל (Rafaʾel) meaning
"God heals", from the roots
רָפָא (rafa) meaning "to heal" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In Hebrew tradition Raphael is the name of an archangel. He appears in the Book of Tobit, in which he disguises himself as a man named
Azarias and accompanies
Tobias on his journey to Media, aiding him along the way. In the end he cures Tobias's father
Tobit of his blindness. He is not mentioned in the New Testament, though tradition identifies him with the angel troubling the water in
John 5:4.
... [more] Reuel m Biblical, Biblical HebrewMeans
"friend of God" in Hebrew, from
רֵעַ (reaʿ) meaning "friend" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this is another name for
Jethro. The fantasy author John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973) was a famous bearer.
Rigel m AstronomyDerived from Arabic
الرجل (al-Rijl) meaning
"foot". This is the name of the star that forms the left foot of the constellation Orion.