The first name Daniel
A boy’s name from Hebrew meaning “god is my judge”.
Pronounced /ˈdænjəl/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Hebrew origin
Daniel means “god is my judge” in Hebrew.
From Middle English Daniel, Daniell, from Ancient Greek Δᾱνῑήλ (Dānīḗl), from Hebrew דָּנִיֵּאל (daniyél, literally “God is my judge”), name borne from the prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 804 boys were named Daniel, making it the 62nd most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 10,338 births (#2).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Daniel with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Daniel at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 8,085 boys born in the United States were named Daniel, the 22nd most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1985, when 38,559 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Daniel in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Daniel in Catalan, Czech, Danish, French, German, Latin, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Scottish Gaelic, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish and Tagalog too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Daniel
1,080 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Daniel DefoeEnglish trader, writer, and journalist (1660–1731)
- Daniel RadcliffeEnglish actor and film producer (born 1989)
- Daniel CraigEnglish actor (born 1968)
- Daniel Day-LewisBritish actor, born 1957
- Daniel AlvesBrazilian footballer, born 1983
- Johannes Hans Daniel JensenGerman nuclear physicist (1907–1973)
- Daniel DennettAmerican philosopher (1942–2024)
- Daniel C. TsuiChinese-American physicist, Nobel laureate, born 1939
- Daniel RicciardoAustralian racing driver, born 1989
- Daniel SturridgeEnglish association football player (born 1989)
- Daniel D. TompkinsAmerican politician; sixth vice president of the United States (1774–1825)
- Daniel AuteuilFrench actor and director (born 1950)
More Hebrew boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Daniel mean?
- Daniel means “god is my judge” in Hebrew.
- What is the origin of the name Daniel?
- From Middle English Daniel, Daniell, from Ancient Greek Δᾱνῑήλ (Dānīḗl), from Hebrew דָּנִיֵּאל (daniyél, literally “God is my judge”), name borne from the prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel.
- How popular is the name Daniel?
- In 2025, 804 boys born in England and Wales were named Daniel, ranking 62nd. Its peak was 1996, with 10,338 births.
- What are nicknames for Daniel?
- Common nicknames for Daniel include Danny, Dan, Dani, Danno.
- Is Daniel a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 1,991,091 US babies named Daniel since 1880 were boys.
- When was Daniel most popular?
- 1985 in the United States, when 38,559 babies were named Daniel, its highest rank at 5th.
- How do you pronounce Daniel?
- Daniel is /ˈdænjəl/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Daniel?
- Danis, Daneau, Danel, Danès, Danet and Daniau.
- Is Daniel also a surname?
- Yes. Daniel is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.