Boy Girl’s name Ariel Ariel “The lion of God,” from the Hebrew ari (lion) and El (God). In Shakespeare’s The Tempest, a tricksy spirit, the servant of Prospero. Ariel Name Origin: Hebrew Pronunciation: a-riel See what 48 people think about Ariel Share Popularity Alternatives Lists Comments Infographic of Ariel name meaning, which is “The lion of God,” from the Hebrew ari (lion) and El (God). In Shakespeare’s The Tempest, a tricksy spirit, the servant of Prospero. Ask your friends & family about Ariel… Share Pin Tweet Email Text Ariel Name Popularity How popular is the name Ariel? Here’s everything we know. Chart Raw Data By State Year Rank # Births % Births 1910 — 0 0% 1911 — 0 0% 1912 — 0 0% 1913 — 0 0% 1914 — 0 0% 1915 — 0 0% 1916 — 0 0% 1917 — 0 0% 1918 — 0 0% 1919 — 0 0% 1920 — 0 0% 1921 — 0 0% 1922 — 0 0% 1923 — 0 0% 1924 — 0 0% 1925 — 0 0% 1926 — 0 0% 1927 — 0 0% 1928 — 0 0% 1929 — 0 0% 1930 — 0 0% 1931 — 0 0% 1932 — 0 0% 1933 — 0 0% 1934 — 0 0% 1935 — 0 0% 1936 — 0 0% 1937 — 0 0% 1938 — 0 0% 1939 — 0 0% 1940 — 0 0% 1941 — 0 0% 1942 — 0 0% 1943 — 0 0% 1944 — 0 0% 1945 — 0 0% 1946 — 0 0% 1947 — 0 0% 1948 — 0 0% 1949 — 0 0% 1950 — 0 0% 1951 — 0 0% 1952 — 0 0% 1953 — 0 0% 1954 — 0 0% 1955 — 0 0% 1956 1,392 6 0.0003% 1957 1,172 13 0.0007% 1958 — 0 0% 1959 1,535 5 0.0003% 1960 1,260 11 0.0006% 1961 1,248 11 0.0006% 1962 1,246 10 0.0005% 1963 1,128 15 0.0008% 1964 1,041 20 0.0011% 1965 971 24 0.0015% 1966 1,151 13 0.0008% 1967 801 43 0.0028% 1968 745 57 0.0038% 1969 715 74 0.0048% 1970 798 62 0.0039% 1971 778 64 0.0043% 1972 722 76 0.0056% 1973 743 71 0.0055% 1974 598 131 0.0101% 1975 575 148 0.0115% 1976 577 149 0.0116% 1977 633 128 0.0095% 1978 529 193 0.0144% 1979 564 185 0.0131% 1980 541 204 0.014% 1981 534 202 0.0137% 1982 501 242 0.0162% 1983 476 270 0.0183% 1984 498 239 0.0161% 1985 507 250 0.0165% 1986 498 267 0.0177% 1987 520 252 0.0165% 1988 498 291 0.0187% 1989 491 336 0.0208% 1990 489 349 0.0211% 1991 366 615 0.0377% 1992 471 417 0.0261% 1993 482 393 0.0252% 1994 485 395 0.0257% 1995 481 409 0.0271% 1996 476 411 0.0274% 1997 484 396 0.0268% 1998 476 420 0.0281% 1999 504 385 0.0257% 2000 564 322 0.0211% 2001 540 355 0.0236% 2002 517 397 0.0265% 2003 561 354 0.0233% 2004 561 363 0.0238% 2005 559 383 0.025% 2006 471 533 0.034% 2007 513 473 0.03% 2008 576 401 0.0259% 2009 558 429 0.0287% 2010 600 365 0.0253% 2011 617 337 0.0237% 2012 743 255 0.0179% 2013 721 269 0.0189% 2014 724 272 0.0187% 2015 589 413 0.0284% 2016 492 567 0.0393% 2017 475 562 0.0403% 2018 586 414 0.0301% 2019 541 463 0.0342% 2020 571 431 0.0339% 2021 565 459 0.0375% 2022 565 480 0.0364% 2023 519 534 0.0413% Alabama (AL) Arkansas (AR) Arizona (AZ) California (CA) Colorado (CO) Connecticut (CT) District of Columbia (DC) Florida (FL) Georgia (GA) Hawaii (HI) Iowa (IA) Illinois (IL) Indiana (IN) Kansas (KS) Kentucky (KY) Massachusetts (MA) Maryland (MD) Michigan (MI) Minnesota (MN) Missouri (MO) North Carolina (NC) Nebraska (NE) New Jersey (NJ) New Mexico (NM) Nevada (NV) New York (NY) Ohio (OH) Oklahoma (OK) Oregon (OR) Pennsylvania (PA) Rhode Island (RI) South Carolina (SC) Tennessee (TN) Texas (TX) Utah (UT) Virginia (VA) Washington (WA) Wisconsin (WI) Data via SSA.gov. Names Like Ariel If you like Ariel, you’ll love these other names like Ariel. What names are variants of Ariel? Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Ariel. Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender Aeriel Lion of God Hebrew Aeriell Lion of God Hebrew Airel Lion of God Hebrew Airyel Lion of God Hebrew Airyell Lion of God Hebrew Arel Lion of God Hebrew Ari Lion Hebrew Arie Lion, eagle; lion of God; the best of all Scandinavian Ariell Lion of God Hebrew Arik Forever or alone, ruler; lion of God Scandinavian Aryel Lion of God Hebrew Aryell Lion of God Hebrew What names sound like Ariel? If you like how Ariel sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Ariel. Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender Oriel Golden Latin Uriel Angel of light; flame of God Hebrew Lists With Ariel Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Ariel. Feminine Boy Names With Delicate Appeal // 222 names Feminine boy names boast a natural softness and charm. Browse our list of these gentle gems. Powerful Boy Middle Names With Stunning Strength // 184 names Interested in a middle name with more might than the average moniker? Check out these powerful boy middle names. Boy Names With Deep Meaning and Might // 249 names Boy names with deep meaning connect with you on another level. Get to know these amazing finds and see which speaks to you. Space Names for Boys With Out of This World Appeal // 116 names Give your little adventurer an out-of-this-world moniker with space names for boys. Strong, smart, and full of wonder, these names inspire greatness. Extraordinary Boy Names Ready to Wow // 213 names Some boy names stand apart from others with their epic associations and meanings. Check out these extraordinary boy names and see what treasure you’ll find. Siblings of Ariel Mamas with kids named Ariel also have kids with these names. Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender Adlai God is just Hebrew Ariel Lion of God Hebrew Mirabel Wonderful Latin Share Your Thoughts 48 Comments Louisa Watson Mar 20 at 10:45 am I just liked the name Ariel Never cared if it’s a Disney princess character’s name. I’m not Jewish either but the name Ariel was growing on me because of it’s meaning and the correct pronunciation ( Ah_Ree_El ) So yeah some people ask my son’s gender and stupid question of oh wasn’t it a mermaid name? And I seriously don’t care, not me and my husband, not my son. He loves his name. We nickname him Arik . Reply " Orion " Rion Dec 2 at 9:04 am My wife loved this name because it seemed so masculine and beautiful to her. I didn’t; because of the mermaid cartoon and because it’s now very girly. Unfortunately, my wife’s blood pressure suddenly went up and she had to have an emergency delivery. The doctors said that the baby would most likely not survive. It was a difficult time for both of us. But God’s miracle happened and our son survived! Now our Ariel Elijah is 3 years old and I love the name. Our Ariel is a strong little lion! Reply Katherine Davidson Apr 11 at 10:58 am Hahahaaaa I wanted to name my baby Ariel because of its meaning and the character Ari Gold ! Turns out my baby is a boy ! So I named him Ariel Alastair Davidson 🙂 Ari Gold is my favorite character, so I named my boy after him, huh! I don’t care if some Childish Disney Fan who has no strength to search call this name girly because of that red hair mermaid, Shut Up! Reply Alia Mar 23 at 12:16 pm Our neighbors named their twin sons, Adriel and Ariel ( Adri and Ari ) ? They designed their nursery so different. For Adriel it has a astronaut theme and for Ariel it has ocean theme. Their both now 2 years old and so sweet and adorable! Adri is so calm and Ari is playful. I see Ariel as a lovely name for a boy 🙂 Reply Lidiia Minnesota Mar 4 at 10:10 am We have 3 daughters ( Adrianne ” Adrie ” , Danielle ” Dannie ” and Samantha ” Sami ” ) My wife wanted a boy who we can name him Ariel cause it was her favorite boys name and of course her uncle was also Ariel. We had our son 5 months ago, and we named him Ariel Henry . We call him Ari for short and we love him. Our daughters adore him cause his name is like the little mermaid but they say it’s perfect on a boy than a girl. Reply Oliver Mar 4 at 9:59 am It’s an interesting name and I was looking for namesmean lion. Yeah yeah little mermaid bluh bluh bluhhhhh I DONT CARE PEOPLE! I NAMED MY SON ARIEL ! He’s now 12 and more successful than girl ariels! Huh! We’re proud of our sons name 🙂 Reply Morgan Jan 8 at 5:20 am We wanted to honour my brave brother who fought with cancer ( love you brother Ariel ). My son was born too early and he was in hospital for 3 months 🙁 Ariel means the lion of god and lions are known for their courage and strength. My son, Ariel Skyler is now 3 and I adore him and his name. Everyone tells me how lovely and suitable his name is and of course I also get jokes about little mermaid but I don’t care! I love Ariel for my son. Reply Samantha Dec 26 at 12:14 pm We just liked the name to be our son’s name. Simple, not too strange and manly. I’m not the fan of Disney and I’ve always loved Ariel for a boy ? My husband actually wrote his name, Ariell. But I pronunce it arr-ee-ell . I think with that extra L, most people see it more masculine than the original. We call him Ari. I have 6 children : James , Isabella, Olivia, Skyler ( he’s a boy ) , Elisabel ( mix of Elisabeth + Belle ) and Ariel . I love all my children’s names. Reply Michaela Dec 24 at 1:20 pm Our daughter chose our son’s name. She said I want a mermaid mini sibling! So we told her she’s the sister of a merman. She immediately said : Oh Ok! Name him Ariel ! We were surprised cause she’s only 3 and doesn’t know Ariel can be a boys name too. We ourselves were looking for a biblical name and something fresh, Ariel is simple and very handsome name. Our son’s name is, Ariel Levi Irwin 🙂 daughter’s name is Eliana Marianne Isabelle 🙂 We call them Lia and Ari 🙂 Reply Mamma Violette Dec 4 at 11:46 pm To be honest, I Adore and Love Little Mermaid! Back into my childhood, I was always watching it with my best friends and even made a playground out of the themes of the movie. When I found out I was pregnant, first I wanted to be a gender surprise and second without doubt naming my little bean Ariel. My delivery was hard, I had water birth but it was worth it believe me. Then the midwife said It’s A Boy ! I was like what? Are you sure?! Not because I didn’t want a boy but he was so quiet and calm when he was in my womb. I named my merman, Ariel Demetrius 🙂 I love him so much! He’s really a sea creature, Beautiful and Stunning. We call him Ariel or Ari sometimes. I don’t regret to name my son after my favorite childhood character. BTW now I think this name is more perfect on boys than girls dunno. Love You Ariel! Mamma Violette Reply Taylor Taylorsville Oct 23 at 10:11 am I don’t care if most people in USA know it as the little mermaid or a girlish name ( I’m an American myself ), Ariel is originally a Boyish name and so popular in Spain, Philippine and Israel. My best friend named his son, Ariel ” Ari ” Leonardo. Both names mean Lion and I love it. He’s such a sweet child and I’m his godfather. We adopted a little lovely girl one month ago and her name is Ariella ” Aria “. My best friend has a Lion and I have a Lioness. Reply Anna Elizabeth " Annabeth " Oct 22 at 5:43 am My brother told me that Ariel was the nickname God gave to Jacob after he won a wrestling match with the infidels.. So now I’m going go to name my son Ariel Jacob. His nickname will be Arik. Btw I like the little mermaid too so now my son can be the little merman 🙂 Reply Jeanette Edwin Oct 18 at 1:02 am If I named my son Ariel in 2012, yeah everyone would thought he was a girl. But now its 2023, I named my son Ariel and nobody mistaken him as a girl. Even nurse first asked it’s a boy or girl ? Even when I told my friends my newborn son’s name is Ariel, they didn’t mocked me or said oh you mean little mermaid bluh bluh …. So yeah things are changing for names. Personally love Ariel for a boy. Reply Mia Kingsley Oct 4 at 7:55 am Ariel was a surprise baby We wanted to keep the gender until the birth We chose Ariel because it’s a unisex name , when I gave birth, the midwife told me the baby is a boy. So we named him Ariel Edmond Kingsley. My husband’s family call him Ari for short , but I like to call him by his full name, Ariel ? Reply Ivy Sep 2 at 12:04 pm air-ee-ell or arr-ee-ell, I’ve love this name for A BOY ! Screw that mermaid ! Reply Blair Aug 2 at 7:28 am My brother recommend this name for my son and I used it. It was supposed to be my nephew’s name but her mom chose Aurora instead. I don’t have any problems with it being unisex or known as little mermaid, in fact I loved her a lot when I was a kid. I pronounce my son’s name Air-ee-ell like little mermaid 🙂 Reply Nurse Yvette Jul 28 at 2:08 am I’m a nurse. I see many women who gave birth to boys naming them Ariel recently. Maybe because of the nickname Ari and most of them are Christians or Jewish. Most parents came up with unique creative variations like Aerial , Airael , Ariyel , Ariell, Araeil, Aeriel or Aariel . I also see this name for girls too but I think the hype of little mermaid is decreasing and now most names are unisex and a boy named Ariel is not strange at all. Reply William Henson Jul 20 at 11:45 am I’m from Australia and my wife is Japanese. She always liked the name Ariel for a girl. Our oldest son is named Shinji ( to the honour of my wife’s culture ). Then our twins were born, both boys, Ivan and James. Our daughter was born 2 years after twins, my mother in law named her Isabella cause it was her favorite western name, my wife respected her mother’s wish. But I know in her deep down my wife wanted to name her Ariel. When we found out our last baby is a boy, She got depressed because it was our last baby and she wished for a girl. I researched, didn’t want to see my wife’s heart be broken over a name. I found out Ariel is a gender neutral name. I talked to her and then one day we watched an anime named maquia and it was about a boy named Ariel. When our son was born I told her whatever you chose it’s amazing. She then said I think Ariel can be good for boys too right? All of us agreed and we named him Ariel. We call Ariel without any nicknames . I’m grateful for my family’s happiness. Reply Yvonne Davis Jul 10 at 12:01 pm I just liked the name. It’s simple, has good meaning, cute and powerful and can be shorten as Ari or Arel or Arik. I pronounce it air-ee-ell like the little mermaid and unlike so many I like her a lot. My son has red ginger hair and green_blue eyes, he’s like a anime character. Far frome now nobody has ever teased or bullied him. It’s just he’s so much like a male version of little mermaid and loves oceans. We’re from Australia and our house is near the beach, Ariel always goes there, collecting sea crafts. Reply Robin Jul 7 at 1:40 pm Lol if James, Logan and even Evan is acceptable for girls so why can not be Ariel as boys name huh? Of course it was originally a boyish name before that red drama mermaid hair ^^ Even I saw Eva, Hope, Faith and Ash for boys recently ( I work in a ice cream shop ) So yeah people get use to it. Ariel is not strange for boys just because one character has it. Reply Ryan Jun 30 at 12:02 pm We thought it’s a cool name for our son. My wife wasn’t sure since it’s known for girls as little mermaid. But we both love his name, it means lion of god and it’s wonderful. Our last name is Caspian so it feels like a captain or sailor for us. Our Ariel has orange hair and green eyes, it fits him 🙂 We have 5 children , Elisabetta, Michael , Artemas ( boy) , Anya and Andria. Now Our Ariel is our 6th baby and his siblings love him. We call his full name Ariel without nicknames. Reply Lylaaa Jun 29 at 4:17 am My best friend suggested this name for my son. She’s a big Disney nostalgia movies and said : Hey! Name him Ariel! ” I didn’t know Ariel can be a boys name too and it surprised me. I looked up to the meaning and I find it cool especially if you pronunce it ( Ah-Ree-Yal ) When I told her I named my son Ariel she was overwhelmed by happiness, she was like that emoji with 2 heart eyes 🙂 Reply Robin Jun 28 at 5:41 am My mother was a writer, She was always reading me her stories named Saving Estrella, about a intelligent boy named Ariel who was planning to save stars and their princess from lord darkness. From that I always liked Ariel. My father was also a character designer ( writer +designer = ? ) and he drew me so many concept arts for Ariel. I want to honour their work by naming my first child, my son, Ariel. He’s gonna have 3 middle names! Ariel James Michael Cyrus. 🙂 Reply Josephina Jun 28 at 3:20 am I like the spelling air-ee-ell on girls and arr-ee-ell on boys. It’s a beautiful name, I’m a teacher and see many both girls and boys named Ariel. Love the meaning. Reply Samuel Jun 28 at 3:07 am I actually wanted to originally name my son Ariel but I changed the spelling to Araeil ( Ara_Eill ), my wife’s father’s name was also Ariel, he was a firefighter. My wife had a deep attachment towards him but unfortunately lost him due to one rescue mission. It’s still has the same meaning but I prefer Ariel for boys but have no problem to see it on girls. It’s beautiful for both genders. Reply Elena Jun 28 at 2:57 am It’s my cousins name 🙂 He was named after our great grandfather, He wasn’t Jewish btw. He was a police officer, He died in a battle with smugglers in Mexico. My uncle and aunt wanted to honour him. Cousin Ariel is such a fireball, loud but well mannered.. I call him ” Ari, Ari, The fire bally “. :))) Reply Hena Jun 28 at 2:51 am I’m Muslim. Here some modern Muslim parents name their sons Ariel and Ariela for their daughters. I’d watched the little mermaid, but honestly I like it for boys, especially the nickname Ari. This name makes me to connect to Allah more. I dunno this much of fight in this name girl’s side, it’s just a name, girl or boy, parents can name their children whatever they want. Reply Clara Jun 28 at 2:43 am I’m pregnant. I rather name my son Ariel after the archangel and a spirit in Shakespeare, than a cartoon little mermaid. Reply Sarah Jun 28 at 2:41 am Love it for both genders but prefer it for boys. It’s cool. At least I can imagine a good boy named Ariel rather than a hot tempered girl in Ariel girl’s side. But I love Ari as a nickname. Reply Ava Jun 11 at 2:31 am Me and my husband named our 3rd son Ariel, after the arcangel Ariel. We pronounce his name arr-ee-ell. Just like Arielle. Fun fact but I saw 5 family also named their sons Ariel or Arielle too! ( I’m a nurse myself) So yeah I like my son’s name. I like little mermaid too but not her fan. He has no problem with his name far from now. Reply Samantha Connolly May 29 at 11:53 am We pronounce his name, Ah_Ree_Yel. I don’t care if now in USA it’s a girl’s name but in other countries it’s still a popular boys name. Ari is a great nickname but I call his full name. Don’t be ashamed of naming you’re son Ariel, it’s a powerful great name. Reply Violet Apr 13 at 1:19 pm I love lions, brave and strong animals. I have an autoimmune disease and pregnancy was not possible for me (not easily). My pregnancy was a gift to me, it was decided that if it was a boy, it would be Ariel and if it was a girl, it would be Ariella. Now I have a healthy, strong and brave son like a lion. I chose Ariel because of its pronunciation and meaning. His middle name is Leon, which means lion too. So far, no one has said why I named a little mermaid or a girl’s name, because despite the Internet, many people know the history, meaning, and gender of the name. My Ariel also loves the sea and wants to be a fireman or a policeman. The little one is very brave. Reply Kelly Mar 7 at 10:03 am We call him Ari or Arel. They gave 3 Ariels in his schools all boys. Ariella is now more common for girls. Eriel is also another girlish variation. Just love the name. Ariel. Simple. Reply Ellie Feb 26 at 9:59 am Love It! It’s lovely and sounds cool. I love lions and what’s better than naming my son a name that has a meaning ” Lion Of God ” I have never liked the little mermaid kinda hated her ( my favorite princess was Belle ) I call my son Ari or Ariel. His middle name is David. I’m teaching him to value his name and life and be a brace and good hearted human. He wants to be a firefighter, Really has a courage of a lion. Reply Ariel Feb 18 at 7:30 am Well this is my name. Bring a male with the name Ariel is not worst or bad really. I’ve never teased because of my name and many of my classmates even say wow! Don’t roar lion boy ? My nicknames are Ari or Arik. We have Morgan , Taylor , Avery and even Riley in our school and all are boys and they’ve never get bullied ( just getting mistaken as girls but it’s ok ) We have a Tommie who’s a girl too so nowadays many names are unisex and people are getting used to them and accepting them. Most parents are looking for a good meaning names doesn’t matter the gender ( of course still many names are better be as boys / girls name only ) I love my name, don’t care about the little mermaid ( I like mermaids ) , I love lions and don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed. Let’s just restore the humanity. ?? Ariel Kellys Reply Ariel McConnell Jun 11 at 2:42 am Hi 🙂 ! My name is Ariel too! 🙂 I’m 14 and love my name. I have great friends who are supporting and protecting me from bullies. One of my male friend’s name is Ava! Funny but his parents are the great fan of Evangelion anime 🙂 I’m OK with my name and just want everyone to proununce my name as arr-ee-ell not Airyel. Oh and btw we have 4 Ariella! Oh and we also have Taylor, Avery and Riley too and all are boys! One day they protected me from a bully who teased my name, I’m grateful. Reply E Feb 16 at 5:27 am Love it for boys. I wonder why this site doesn’t show the history of this name like they did for the Girl’s side. I hate that mermaid character ( just her, Merida , Tiana , Moana or even Cinderella are better princess than her ) And I wouldn’t name my daughter after her. ( personally love Ariella more ) But it’s no one’s business if parents naming their sons or daughters Ariel. Every names nowadays are unisex even Will ( short for Willmina, Willa and Wilhelmina ) Reply Angelica Feb 14 at 4:22 am I’ve loved this name since I was a little girl. There’s also an anime called ” Maquia : When the promised flower blooms ” and one of the main character’s name is Ariel who was a sweet little boy and later a good strong man and husband. My son’s name is Ariel and I’m not ashamed if western people naming their daughter after that mermaid character who wasn’t even great… His nickname is Ari and if anyone says something like Oh you just named you’re son’s girlish name I will show them the history of the name and say : Haha he’s a merman! ^^ Reply Benny Feb 12 at 10:53 am This name is now rising for boys since parents are choosing Arielle or Ariella. In the Shakespeare’s world this is boys name and one of the archangel. I love it. It’s the name of my best friend’s son and he’s so cute and polite and well mannered. Nowadays most names are acceptable and I don’t find the name Ariel wired for boys since originally it’s a boyish name. Reply Flora Feb 12 at 10:49 am I’ve loved this name since I was little. The meaning of beautiful and strong and the nickname ” Ari ” is perfect. I don’t care if it’s Disney’s name since the pronunciation is different and I find Ariella more attractive for girls. One of the famous Christian Youtuber also named her son Ariel. Reply Lilly Jan 29 at 11:19 am Since I was little I’ve loved this name so much. I lost my both parents at the terrible car accident and got a horrible depression. In my depression I figured out I’m pregnant and my mental health wasn’t great. But but family supported me especially my brother. When I found out the baby is a boy, I couldn’t think about any names until my husband said hey! You loved the name Ariel right? Honestly I was really worried cause it’s now known more as a girls name but my son was born healthy and my mom adored lions. I’m still working on my mental health but my son, Ariel, became my lion who fights with my dark demons when he’s with me. Reply Bianca Jan 29 at 11:12 am I love this name! Ariel is really fits for a boy and I don’t care if some people still think it’s that mermaid character’s name. Ariel sounds so good and the nickname Ari is amazing! Ariella and Arielle are much better chose for girls. Reply ilovemymomi! Dec 25 at 1:37 pm Ariel was popular as a male name, though it’s more female now. It’s a Hebrew male name that is now unisex. Reply Liza Sep 2 at 1:23 am I love this name! Fortunately I’m not living in US or Canada because there people choose it for their girls ( which sounds stupid ) His full name is Ariel William Daniels. Reply Dolores Mar 11 at 1:56 am He is perfect! Reply Noemí Aug 16 at 10:44 am I chose to name my baby Ariel because i love the meaning Ariel means lion of God. And it goes perfect with hes middle name that’s Isai. Reply glory Jun 14 at 5:13 am I choose the name because Angel is called Ariel too Reply Charlotte Apr 11 at 2:10 pm Ariel was a boy’s name way before the little mermaid but it’s usually seen as feminine. As a society we’ve decided it’s cool to have masculine names for girls. I think we could use more of the feminine. Women and girls are allowed and encouraged to display “masculine” traits; we need to allow and celebrate men and boys who have traits traditionally seen as feminine. Reply Share your thoughts on the name Ariel Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published. 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Louisa Watson Mar 20 at 10:45 am I just liked the name Ariel Never cared if it’s a Disney princess character’s name. I’m not Jewish either but the name Ariel was growing on me because of it’s meaning and the correct pronunciation ( Ah_Ree_El ) So yeah some people ask my son’s gender and stupid question of oh wasn’t it a mermaid name? And I seriously don’t care, not me and my husband, not my son. He loves his name. We nickname him Arik . Reply
" Orion " Rion Dec 2 at 9:04 am My wife loved this name because it seemed so masculine and beautiful to her. I didn’t; because of the mermaid cartoon and because it’s now very girly. Unfortunately, my wife’s blood pressure suddenly went up and she had to have an emergency delivery. The doctors said that the baby would most likely not survive. It was a difficult time for both of us. But God’s miracle happened and our son survived! Now our Ariel Elijah is 3 years old and I love the name. Our Ariel is a strong little lion! Reply
Katherine Davidson Apr 11 at 10:58 am Hahahaaaa I wanted to name my baby Ariel because of its meaning and the character Ari Gold ! Turns out my baby is a boy ! So I named him Ariel Alastair Davidson 🙂 Ari Gold is my favorite character, so I named my boy after him, huh! I don’t care if some Childish Disney Fan who has no strength to search call this name girly because of that red hair mermaid, Shut Up! Reply
Alia Mar 23 at 12:16 pm Our neighbors named their twin sons, Adriel and Ariel ( Adri and Ari ) ? They designed their nursery so different. For Adriel it has a astronaut theme and for Ariel it has ocean theme. Their both now 2 years old and so sweet and adorable! Adri is so calm and Ari is playful. I see Ariel as a lovely name for a boy 🙂 Reply
Lidiia Minnesota Mar 4 at 10:10 am We have 3 daughters ( Adrianne ” Adrie ” , Danielle ” Dannie ” and Samantha ” Sami ” ) My wife wanted a boy who we can name him Ariel cause it was her favorite boys name and of course her uncle was also Ariel. We had our son 5 months ago, and we named him Ariel Henry . We call him Ari for short and we love him. Our daughters adore him cause his name is like the little mermaid but they say it’s perfect on a boy than a girl. Reply
Oliver Mar 4 at 9:59 am It’s an interesting name and I was looking for namesmean lion. Yeah yeah little mermaid bluh bluh bluhhhhh I DONT CARE PEOPLE! I NAMED MY SON ARIEL ! He’s now 12 and more successful than girl ariels! Huh! We’re proud of our sons name 🙂 Reply
Morgan Jan 8 at 5:20 am We wanted to honour my brave brother who fought with cancer ( love you brother Ariel ). My son was born too early and he was in hospital for 3 months 🙁 Ariel means the lion of god and lions are known for their courage and strength. My son, Ariel Skyler is now 3 and I adore him and his name. Everyone tells me how lovely and suitable his name is and of course I also get jokes about little mermaid but I don’t care! I love Ariel for my son. Reply
Samantha Dec 26 at 12:14 pm We just liked the name to be our son’s name. Simple, not too strange and manly. I’m not the fan of Disney and I’ve always loved Ariel for a boy ? My husband actually wrote his name, Ariell. But I pronunce it arr-ee-ell . I think with that extra L, most people see it more masculine than the original. We call him Ari. I have 6 children : James , Isabella, Olivia, Skyler ( he’s a boy ) , Elisabel ( mix of Elisabeth + Belle ) and Ariel . I love all my children’s names. Reply
Michaela Dec 24 at 1:20 pm Our daughter chose our son’s name. She said I want a mermaid mini sibling! So we told her she’s the sister of a merman. She immediately said : Oh Ok! Name him Ariel ! We were surprised cause she’s only 3 and doesn’t know Ariel can be a boys name too. We ourselves were looking for a biblical name and something fresh, Ariel is simple and very handsome name. Our son’s name is, Ariel Levi Irwin 🙂 daughter’s name is Eliana Marianne Isabelle 🙂 We call them Lia and Ari 🙂 Reply
Mamma Violette Dec 4 at 11:46 pm To be honest, I Adore and Love Little Mermaid! Back into my childhood, I was always watching it with my best friends and even made a playground out of the themes of the movie. When I found out I was pregnant, first I wanted to be a gender surprise and second without doubt naming my little bean Ariel. My delivery was hard, I had water birth but it was worth it believe me. Then the midwife said It’s A Boy ! I was like what? Are you sure?! Not because I didn’t want a boy but he was so quiet and calm when he was in my womb. I named my merman, Ariel Demetrius 🙂 I love him so much! He’s really a sea creature, Beautiful and Stunning. We call him Ariel or Ari sometimes. I don’t regret to name my son after my favorite childhood character. BTW now I think this name is more perfect on boys than girls dunno. Love You Ariel! Mamma Violette Reply
Taylor Taylorsville Oct 23 at 10:11 am I don’t care if most people in USA know it as the little mermaid or a girlish name ( I’m an American myself ), Ariel is originally a Boyish name and so popular in Spain, Philippine and Israel. My best friend named his son, Ariel ” Ari ” Leonardo. Both names mean Lion and I love it. He’s such a sweet child and I’m his godfather. We adopted a little lovely girl one month ago and her name is Ariella ” Aria “. My best friend has a Lion and I have a Lioness. Reply
Anna Elizabeth " Annabeth " Oct 22 at 5:43 am My brother told me that Ariel was the nickname God gave to Jacob after he won a wrestling match with the infidels.. So now I’m going go to name my son Ariel Jacob. His nickname will be Arik. Btw I like the little mermaid too so now my son can be the little merman 🙂 Reply
Jeanette Edwin Oct 18 at 1:02 am If I named my son Ariel in 2012, yeah everyone would thought he was a girl. But now its 2023, I named my son Ariel and nobody mistaken him as a girl. Even nurse first asked it’s a boy or girl ? Even when I told my friends my newborn son’s name is Ariel, they didn’t mocked me or said oh you mean little mermaid bluh bluh …. So yeah things are changing for names. Personally love Ariel for a boy. Reply
Mia Kingsley Oct 4 at 7:55 am Ariel was a surprise baby We wanted to keep the gender until the birth We chose Ariel because it’s a unisex name , when I gave birth, the midwife told me the baby is a boy. So we named him Ariel Edmond Kingsley. My husband’s family call him Ari for short , but I like to call him by his full name, Ariel ? Reply
Ivy Sep 2 at 12:04 pm air-ee-ell or arr-ee-ell, I’ve love this name for A BOY ! Screw that mermaid ! Reply
Blair Aug 2 at 7:28 am My brother recommend this name for my son and I used it. It was supposed to be my nephew’s name but her mom chose Aurora instead. I don’t have any problems with it being unisex or known as little mermaid, in fact I loved her a lot when I was a kid. I pronounce my son’s name Air-ee-ell like little mermaid 🙂 Reply
Nurse Yvette Jul 28 at 2:08 am I’m a nurse. I see many women who gave birth to boys naming them Ariel recently. Maybe because of the nickname Ari and most of them are Christians or Jewish. Most parents came up with unique creative variations like Aerial , Airael , Ariyel , Ariell, Araeil, Aeriel or Aariel . I also see this name for girls too but I think the hype of little mermaid is decreasing and now most names are unisex and a boy named Ariel is not strange at all. Reply
William Henson Jul 20 at 11:45 am I’m from Australia and my wife is Japanese. She always liked the name Ariel for a girl. Our oldest son is named Shinji ( to the honour of my wife’s culture ). Then our twins were born, both boys, Ivan and James. Our daughter was born 2 years after twins, my mother in law named her Isabella cause it was her favorite western name, my wife respected her mother’s wish. But I know in her deep down my wife wanted to name her Ariel. When we found out our last baby is a boy, She got depressed because it was our last baby and she wished for a girl. I researched, didn’t want to see my wife’s heart be broken over a name. I found out Ariel is a gender neutral name. I talked to her and then one day we watched an anime named maquia and it was about a boy named Ariel. When our son was born I told her whatever you chose it’s amazing. She then said I think Ariel can be good for boys too right? All of us agreed and we named him Ariel. We call Ariel without any nicknames . I’m grateful for my family’s happiness. Reply
Yvonne Davis Jul 10 at 12:01 pm I just liked the name. It’s simple, has good meaning, cute and powerful and can be shorten as Ari or Arel or Arik. I pronounce it air-ee-ell like the little mermaid and unlike so many I like her a lot. My son has red ginger hair and green_blue eyes, he’s like a anime character. Far frome now nobody has ever teased or bullied him. It’s just he’s so much like a male version of little mermaid and loves oceans. We’re from Australia and our house is near the beach, Ariel always goes there, collecting sea crafts. Reply
Robin Jul 7 at 1:40 pm Lol if James, Logan and even Evan is acceptable for girls so why can not be Ariel as boys name huh? Of course it was originally a boyish name before that red drama mermaid hair ^^ Even I saw Eva, Hope, Faith and Ash for boys recently ( I work in a ice cream shop ) So yeah people get use to it. Ariel is not strange for boys just because one character has it. Reply
Ryan Jun 30 at 12:02 pm We thought it’s a cool name for our son. My wife wasn’t sure since it’s known for girls as little mermaid. But we both love his name, it means lion of god and it’s wonderful. Our last name is Caspian so it feels like a captain or sailor for us. Our Ariel has orange hair and green eyes, it fits him 🙂 We have 5 children , Elisabetta, Michael , Artemas ( boy) , Anya and Andria. Now Our Ariel is our 6th baby and his siblings love him. We call his full name Ariel without nicknames. Reply
Lylaaa Jun 29 at 4:17 am My best friend suggested this name for my son. She’s a big Disney nostalgia movies and said : Hey! Name him Ariel! ” I didn’t know Ariel can be a boys name too and it surprised me. I looked up to the meaning and I find it cool especially if you pronunce it ( Ah-Ree-Yal ) When I told her I named my son Ariel she was overwhelmed by happiness, she was like that emoji with 2 heart eyes 🙂 Reply
Robin Jun 28 at 5:41 am My mother was a writer, She was always reading me her stories named Saving Estrella, about a intelligent boy named Ariel who was planning to save stars and their princess from lord darkness. From that I always liked Ariel. My father was also a character designer ( writer +designer = ? ) and he drew me so many concept arts for Ariel. I want to honour their work by naming my first child, my son, Ariel. He’s gonna have 3 middle names! Ariel James Michael Cyrus. 🙂 Reply
Josephina Jun 28 at 3:20 am I like the spelling air-ee-ell on girls and arr-ee-ell on boys. It’s a beautiful name, I’m a teacher and see many both girls and boys named Ariel. Love the meaning. Reply
Samuel Jun 28 at 3:07 am I actually wanted to originally name my son Ariel but I changed the spelling to Araeil ( Ara_Eill ), my wife’s father’s name was also Ariel, he was a firefighter. My wife had a deep attachment towards him but unfortunately lost him due to one rescue mission. It’s still has the same meaning but I prefer Ariel for boys but have no problem to see it on girls. It’s beautiful for both genders. Reply
Elena Jun 28 at 2:57 am It’s my cousins name 🙂 He was named after our great grandfather, He wasn’t Jewish btw. He was a police officer, He died in a battle with smugglers in Mexico. My uncle and aunt wanted to honour him. Cousin Ariel is such a fireball, loud but well mannered.. I call him ” Ari, Ari, The fire bally “. :))) Reply
Hena Jun 28 at 2:51 am I’m Muslim. Here some modern Muslim parents name their sons Ariel and Ariela for their daughters. I’d watched the little mermaid, but honestly I like it for boys, especially the nickname Ari. This name makes me to connect to Allah more. I dunno this much of fight in this name girl’s side, it’s just a name, girl or boy, parents can name their children whatever they want. Reply
Clara Jun 28 at 2:43 am I’m pregnant. I rather name my son Ariel after the archangel and a spirit in Shakespeare, than a cartoon little mermaid. Reply
Sarah Jun 28 at 2:41 am Love it for both genders but prefer it for boys. It’s cool. At least I can imagine a good boy named Ariel rather than a hot tempered girl in Ariel girl’s side. But I love Ari as a nickname. Reply
Ava Jun 11 at 2:31 am Me and my husband named our 3rd son Ariel, after the arcangel Ariel. We pronounce his name arr-ee-ell. Just like Arielle. Fun fact but I saw 5 family also named their sons Ariel or Arielle too! ( I’m a nurse myself) So yeah I like my son’s name. I like little mermaid too but not her fan. He has no problem with his name far from now. Reply
Samantha Connolly May 29 at 11:53 am We pronounce his name, Ah_Ree_Yel. I don’t care if now in USA it’s a girl’s name but in other countries it’s still a popular boys name. Ari is a great nickname but I call his full name. Don’t be ashamed of naming you’re son Ariel, it’s a powerful great name. Reply
Violet Apr 13 at 1:19 pm I love lions, brave and strong animals. I have an autoimmune disease and pregnancy was not possible for me (not easily). My pregnancy was a gift to me, it was decided that if it was a boy, it would be Ariel and if it was a girl, it would be Ariella. Now I have a healthy, strong and brave son like a lion. I chose Ariel because of its pronunciation and meaning. His middle name is Leon, which means lion too. So far, no one has said why I named a little mermaid or a girl’s name, because despite the Internet, many people know the history, meaning, and gender of the name. My Ariel also loves the sea and wants to be a fireman or a policeman. The little one is very brave. Reply
Kelly Mar 7 at 10:03 am We call him Ari or Arel. They gave 3 Ariels in his schools all boys. Ariella is now more common for girls. Eriel is also another girlish variation. Just love the name. Ariel. Simple. Reply
Ellie Feb 26 at 9:59 am Love It! It’s lovely and sounds cool. I love lions and what’s better than naming my son a name that has a meaning ” Lion Of God ” I have never liked the little mermaid kinda hated her ( my favorite princess was Belle ) I call my son Ari or Ariel. His middle name is David. I’m teaching him to value his name and life and be a brace and good hearted human. He wants to be a firefighter, Really has a courage of a lion. Reply
Ariel Feb 18 at 7:30 am Well this is my name. Bring a male with the name Ariel is not worst or bad really. I’ve never teased because of my name and many of my classmates even say wow! Don’t roar lion boy ? My nicknames are Ari or Arik. We have Morgan , Taylor , Avery and even Riley in our school and all are boys and they’ve never get bullied ( just getting mistaken as girls but it’s ok ) We have a Tommie who’s a girl too so nowadays many names are unisex and people are getting used to them and accepting them. Most parents are looking for a good meaning names doesn’t matter the gender ( of course still many names are better be as boys / girls name only ) I love my name, don’t care about the little mermaid ( I like mermaids ) , I love lions and don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed. Let’s just restore the humanity. ?? Ariel Kellys Reply
Ariel McConnell Jun 11 at 2:42 am Hi 🙂 ! My name is Ariel too! 🙂 I’m 14 and love my name. I have great friends who are supporting and protecting me from bullies. One of my male friend’s name is Ava! Funny but his parents are the great fan of Evangelion anime 🙂 I’m OK with my name and just want everyone to proununce my name as arr-ee-ell not Airyel. Oh and btw we have 4 Ariella! Oh and we also have Taylor, Avery and Riley too and all are boys! One day they protected me from a bully who teased my name, I’m grateful. Reply
E Feb 16 at 5:27 am Love it for boys. I wonder why this site doesn’t show the history of this name like they did for the Girl’s side. I hate that mermaid character ( just her, Merida , Tiana , Moana or even Cinderella are better princess than her ) And I wouldn’t name my daughter after her. ( personally love Ariella more ) But it’s no one’s business if parents naming their sons or daughters Ariel. Every names nowadays are unisex even Will ( short for Willmina, Willa and Wilhelmina ) Reply
Angelica Feb 14 at 4:22 am I’ve loved this name since I was a little girl. There’s also an anime called ” Maquia : When the promised flower blooms ” and one of the main character’s name is Ariel who was a sweet little boy and later a good strong man and husband. My son’s name is Ariel and I’m not ashamed if western people naming their daughter after that mermaid character who wasn’t even great… His nickname is Ari and if anyone says something like Oh you just named you’re son’s girlish name I will show them the history of the name and say : Haha he’s a merman! ^^ Reply
Benny Feb 12 at 10:53 am This name is now rising for boys since parents are choosing Arielle or Ariella. In the Shakespeare’s world this is boys name and one of the archangel. I love it. It’s the name of my best friend’s son and he’s so cute and polite and well mannered. Nowadays most names are acceptable and I don’t find the name Ariel wired for boys since originally it’s a boyish name. Reply
Flora Feb 12 at 10:49 am I’ve loved this name since I was little. The meaning of beautiful and strong and the nickname ” Ari ” is perfect. I don’t care if it’s Disney’s name since the pronunciation is different and I find Ariella more attractive for girls. One of the famous Christian Youtuber also named her son Ariel. Reply
Lilly Jan 29 at 11:19 am Since I was little I’ve loved this name so much. I lost my both parents at the terrible car accident and got a horrible depression. In my depression I figured out I’m pregnant and my mental health wasn’t great. But but family supported me especially my brother. When I found out the baby is a boy, I couldn’t think about any names until my husband said hey! You loved the name Ariel right? Honestly I was really worried cause it’s now known more as a girls name but my son was born healthy and my mom adored lions. I’m still working on my mental health but my son, Ariel, became my lion who fights with my dark demons when he’s with me. Reply
Bianca Jan 29 at 11:12 am I love this name! Ariel is really fits for a boy and I don’t care if some people still think it’s that mermaid character’s name. Ariel sounds so good and the nickname Ari is amazing! Ariella and Arielle are much better chose for girls. Reply
ilovemymomi! Dec 25 at 1:37 pm Ariel was popular as a male name, though it’s more female now. It’s a Hebrew male name that is now unisex. Reply
Liza Sep 2 at 1:23 am I love this name! Fortunately I’m not living in US or Canada because there people choose it for their girls ( which sounds stupid ) His full name is Ariel William Daniels. Reply
Noemí Aug 16 at 10:44 am I chose to name my baby Ariel because i love the meaning Ariel means lion of God. And it goes perfect with hes middle name that’s Isai. Reply
Charlotte Apr 11 at 2:10 pm Ariel was a boy’s name way before the little mermaid but it’s usually seen as feminine. As a society we’ve decided it’s cool to have masculine names for girls. I think we could use more of the feminine. Women and girls are allowed and encouraged to display “masculine” traits; we need to allow and celebrate men and boys who have traits traditionally seen as feminine. Reply
