Angel Names
- Muriel
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"of the bright sea, sea-bright"Description:
Once a poetic Celtic name, that of the angel who governs the month of June, Muriel has for a time, become the mom or grandma of TV sitcoms. A Top 200 name from 1912 to 1933, Muriel might just be due for a comeback, fitting as it does with the likes of Margot, Mabel, Marjorie, and Marilyn.
- Dina
Origin:
Hebrew variation of Dinah or AdinahMeaning:
"judged or delicate"Description:
Dina is a 20th century version of either Dinah or Adinah, two Old Testament names not related to each other. Dinah was the beautiful daughter of Jacob and Leah, while Adinah or Adina was a male soldier, though the name is also used for girls in modern Israel.
- Amael
Origin:
Breton, French, Hebrew, “chieftain; grace and favor of God"Description:
Typically spelled as Amaël, this name can be a variation of the popular Breton name, Maël, which ranks in the Top 10 in France. Amaël itself entered the French Top 500 in 2021, and ranked at #337 in a recent year. Meaning "chieftain" or "prince", Amaël (or Amael) would typically be pronounced as A-MA-EHL
Alternatively, Amael may be related to Anael, an archangel in Jewish lore, who is also known as Hanael and Aniel. Anael is associated with the planet Venus, grace, favor, and charm. As such, it would be pronounced ah-mee-ehl or ah-mah-ehl
- Gabe
Origin:
Short form of Gabriel, HebrewMeaning:
"God is my strength"Description:
Gabe ranked in the Top 1000 from 1880 until 1905, when it fell into obscurity. There are fewer than 100 boys named Gabe, just plain Gabe, each year in the US, compared with over 10,000 named Gabriel. Our advice: Go with the crowd and choose the angelic long form, and then call him Gabe if you want to.
- Uriel
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God is my light"Description:
It's the name of an Old Testament archangel that's symbolically given to boys born during Chanukah, but the possibility of unsavory nicknames (urinal?) make the short form Uri a better bet.
- Angie
Origin:
Diminutive of AngelaDescription:
Cute nickname of Angela and other angelic names, Angie is now being used on its own, although its popularity has fallen in recent years. That said, Angie is one of those surprising classics, hanging on in the girls' Top 1000 continuously since its inception in 1880.
- Cassiel
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"angel of Saturday"Description:
This name of the archangel who protects those born under the sign of Capricorn is one of the most attractive and distinctive December baby names or January baby names. Cassiel is a little-known member of the increasingly popular Cass family, which includes Cassius, Cassian, and Cassia.
- Rafaela
Origin:
Spanish and Portuguese version of Hebrew RaphaelaMeaning:
"God has healed"Description:
This euphonious and lovely name is an internationally appealing choice, that, like Gabriela and Isabela before it, is beginning to be drawn into the American mainstream. Also spelled Raffaella (Italian), Raffaela (German), or Raphaela (Hebrew), it was given to around 50 girls in the US in 2023.
- Aniela
Origin:
PolishMeaning:
"angel"Description:
What a difference one letter makes - the somewhat tired, though still heavenly Angela, gets a makeover as sweet and subtle Aniela. Popular in its native Poland where it ranks in the Top 100, it is definitely worth considering.
- Ramiel
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"the thunder of God"Description:
One of the seven archangels listed in the Book of Enoch, Ramiel is considered to be the angel of hope, guiding faithful souls to heaven and watching over those who will be resurrected. He was fictionalised in Neil Gaiman’s comic series The Sandman. Ramiel feels like a thoroughly on-trend choice, and an interesting twist on familiar Biblical names like Daniel and Gabriel.
- Angelique
Origin:
French diminutive of AngelaMeaning:
"angelic"Description:
Angelique was the fastest-rising girl name of 2021, influenced by French-Mexican actress Angelique Boyer, who starred in the telenovela Imperio de mentiras (Empire of Lies).
- Kemuel
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"helper of God"Description:
If you're seeking a biblical name somewhat similar to the popular Samuel but way more distinctive, this could be the one.
- Raphaela
Origin:
Hebrew, feminine variation of RaphaelMeaning:
"God has healed"Description:
A euphonious and lovely name with a dark-eyed, long-flowing-haired image, Raphaela is, like Gabriella and Isabella, beginning to be drawn into the American mainstream.
- Siofra
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"sprite, changeling"Description:
A relatively modern (18th C) Irish Gaelic name, Siofra or, more properly, Síofra with the fada has its roots in superstition. In the past, when babies were born in Ireland their families feared that the fairies would steal the baby and leave an elven changeling child in its place. It’s an uncommon name starting to pick up in its native country.
- Anahera
Origin:
MaoriMeaning:
"angel"Description:
This feminine name — simply "angel" imported into Māori phonology — is fresher than Angela and less Hollywood than Angelina.
- Gabby
Description:
Gabby is a feminine name that functions both as a standalone name and as a familiar diminutive for Gabrielle, Gabriella, or Abigail. Derived ultimately from the Hebrew name Gabriel, meaning 'God is my strength,' Gabby projects a friendly, approachable personality. The name rose in popularity during the late 20th century as parents increasingly chose casual-sounding names as official given names. Gabby carries a cheerful, energetic quality that often matches its meaning in slang as someone who is talkative. In sports contexts, the name gained visibility through notable athletes like Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas. While maintaining its casual charm, Gabby offers versatility as its bearer can always opt for a more formal version in professional settings.
- Lieke
Origin:
Dutch diminutive of Angelique et alDescription:
The popular Dutch name Lieke is one of those diminutives, like Lena, that can be short for a range of names ending in its sound -- which, by the way, is the two-syllable LEE-ka. Despite its versatility, we don't see Lieke's popularity translating to English-speaking cultures.
- Meriel
Origin:
Variation of Muriel, IrishMeaning:
"of the bright sea"Description:
This pleasant modernization of a dated original is still rare but has real modern possibilities. Alternate versions include Merial and Meryl.
- Malika
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"master"Description:
Malika is an attractive multi-cultural name--it is also a pet form of Amalia in Hungary.
- Yael
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"ibex"Description:
A common unisex name in Israel, more properly written as Ya'el, Yael rose more than 200 places in 2023 to become one of the fastest-rising boys' names of the year in the US.
The Nameberry App Is Live
Find your perfect baby name together in our app, now available on the App Store and Google Play.
- Swipe through thousands of names with your partner
- Names you match on are saved to your shared list
- Get personalized recommendations that learn based on your and your partner's preferences
- Partner with friends and family to find names you all love
- Backed by Nameberry's 20 years of data around name preferences.
