Daniel Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Daniel is predominantly used for boys. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Daniel?
Daniel is spelled D-A-N-I-E-L. The name has 6 letters.
Daniel at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for boys
- Meaning
- Daniel means “God is my judge.”
- Origin
- Daniel is commonly associated with Hebrew origins, derived from the Hebrew name Daniyyel.
- Pronunciation
- DAN-yul · 2 syllables
Daniel Popularity in 2025
Rank#10,917
Recorded Births8
Rank#22
Recorded Births8,085
- Girls usage fell 1,361 places to #10,917 and recorded 2 fewer births compared with 2024.
- Boys usage fell 6 places to #22 and recorded 341 fewer births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Daniel Mean?
Daniel means “God is my judge.”
Origin: Daniel is commonly associated with Hebrew origins, derived from the Hebrew name Daniyyel.
How Do You Pronounce Daniel?
PronunciationDAN-yul
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Daniel?
- History
- The name Daniel appears in ancient Hebrew texts, including religious scriptures, where a figure named Daniel is prominent.
Daniel Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2014 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 8 | #10,917 |
| 2025 | Boys | 8,085 | #22 |
| 2024 | Girls | 10 | #9,556 |
| 2024 | Boys | 8,426 | #16 |
| 2023 | Girls | 19 | #6,169 |
| 2023 | Boys | 8,402 | #17 |
| 2022 | Girls | 11 | #9,056 |
| 2022 | Boys | 9,121 | #14 |
| 2021 | Girls | 12 | #8,464 |
| 2021 | Boys | 9,162 | #16 |
| 2020 | Girls | 19 | #6,083 |
| 2020 | Boys | 9,530 | #14 |
| 2019 | Girls | 17 | #6,698 |
| 2019 | Boys | 10,592 | #15 |
| 2018 | Girls | 19 | #6,248 |
| 2018 | Boys | 11,296 | #15 |
| 2017 | Girls | 14 | #7,840 |
| 2017 | Boys | 11,758 | #15 |
| 2016 | Girls | 25 | #5,284 |
| 2016 | Boys | 12,996 | #13 |
| 2015 | Girls | 20 | #6,236 |
| 2015 | Boys | 13,543 | #12 |
| 2014 | Girls | 25 | #5,310 |
| 2014 | Boys | 13,961 | #10 |
When Was Daniel Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
1985 · Boys
38,559 recorded births
National rank #5
1986 · Boys
36,573 recorded births
National rank #6
1984 · Boys
36,531 recorded births
National rank #6
1987 · Boys
35,876 recorded births
National rank #7
Where Daniel Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Boys
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| WA | #13 | 233 |
| VA | #13 | 232 |
| AZ | #15 | 220 |
| DC | #16 | 26 |
| TX | #17 | 976 |
| NJ | #17 | 256 |
| NM | #17 | 47 |
| CA | #18 | 1,145 |