User-created list
Alternatives to Daniel
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Leonel
Variation of Lionel, French
"young lion"
A variation of Lionel that has made slow but substantial gains in recent years, perhaps helped by the resurgence of Leo. It is also the Spanish and Portuguese variant. Derived from Leon, Lionel…
Dorian
Greek, name of a tribe
The Dorians were an ancient Greek tribe, one of the three major pre-Spartan tribes. It literally means "of Doris," a Greek district, or "of Doros," referring to the son of Helen of Sparta. Dorian…
Devin
Irish
"poet"
Devilishly handsome, Devin arrived as Kevin was moving out. Not to be confused (though it often is) with the English place-name Devon. While both Devin and Devon are flagging somewhat for boys, the…
Drew
Diminutive of Andrew
"strong and manly"
Drew, which projects a polished, somewhat intellectual impression, is rapidly becoming the Andrew nickname of choice, replacing the past favorite, Andy. It is fully capable of standing on its own,…
Ariel
Hebrew
"lion of God"
Despite its distinguished pedigree and popularity in Israel, Disney's Little Mermaid cartoonized Ariel in the US, at least in some people's minds. But it was used for a male character in…
Danny
Short form of Daniel, Hebrew
"God is my judge"
A diminutive of Daniel that's been immortalized in odes ranging from 'Danny Boy' to 'Danny's Song.'
Lionel
Latin
"young lion"
Lionel is one leonine name that hasn't taken off as cousins Leo and Leonardo have, though it did reenter the Top 1000 in 2010 after several years away; it was at its highest point in the 1920s and…
Dexter
Latin
"dyer, right-handed"
The jazzy, ultra-cool Dexter, like most names with an "x," has a lot of energy and dynamism. Over the years, it's been attached to a number of diverse real and fictional personalities—C. K. Dexter…
Dan
Hebrew
"God is my judge"
Often stands alone in Israel, but rarely here.
Daniels
Daniels originated as an English patronymic surname meaning 'son of Daniel,' with Daniel deriving from Hebrew and meaning 'God is my judge.' As a masculine given name, Daniels represents the trend of…
Darrell
English from Norman French
"dear one, beloved"
Beach boy name of the 1960s, Darrell is still a presence on the charts and may graduate into a stately surname name.
Daryl
Variation of Darrell, French
"dear one, beloved"
Darrell and all its variations was a trendy name in the 1950s and 1960s, an update on David and Daniel that began to fall out of favor by the 1970s and fell out of the Top 1000 completely at the turn…
Deverell
English surname via French
"from Evreux"
A distinguished surname name deriving from the town of Evreux in Normandy.
Percival
French
"one who pierces the valley"
There are several Percivals scattered through the Harry Potter series, which might help transform the old-fangled, fussy image it has accrued. Actually, the original Percival was the one perfectly…
Donegal
Donegal is a masculine name of Irish origin, derived from the County Donegal in Ireland. The name comes from the Irish 'Dún na nGall,' meaning 'fort of the foreigners.' As a given name, Donegal is…