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The short answer
Ariel is a unisex name used in Hebrew and English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Means ‘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." It ranked #558 for boys and #356 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, means ‘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. The entry lists its usage as Hebrew, English, French, Spanish and others.
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Ariel ranked #558 for boys and #356 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States (boys) | 2025 | #558 | ssa-2025 |
| United States (girls) | 2025 | #356 | ssa-2025 |
United States, 2025: #356 (Social Security Administration)
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Hebrew) and that sit near Ariel in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Ariel mean?
Ariel means "lion of God", according to Behind the Name.
Is Ariel a popular name?
Ariel ranked #558 for boys and #356 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Ariel a boy's or a girl's name?
Ariel appears in both the boys' and girls' SSA lists for 2025, so it is used for both.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Ariel — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
