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Name at a glance

Daniel

Daniel is a Hebrew name meaning God is my judge.

Ranked #22 in US baby names in 2025, peaked at #5 in 1985, declining over the past 5 years.

Daniel is an Old Testament figure remembered for faithfulness, wisdom, prayer, and courage under imperial pressure.

Browse namesRead Daniel's story
OriginHebrew
GenderBoy
FeelSteadfast
PronunciationDAN-yul

Is Daniel biblical?

Yes

Biblical status Direct biblical person

Daniel is a named person in Scripture, the exile and visionary prophet of the Old Testament book that bears his name.

Is Daniel a Christian name?

Yes

Christian tradition Foundational, across traditions

Daniel has deep, longstanding Christian use as a classic biblical name and is commemorated as a prophet in Orthodox and Catholic tradition.

Plain answer

Daniel is a major biblical prophet and a foundational Christian name used across traditions for centuries.

Confidence High Last reviewed July 19, 2026 How this works

Meaning

The meaning of Daniel

Daniel comes from Hebrew elements meaning judge and God. The name's meaning is usually given as God is my judge.

Sound

How to pronounce Daniel

Phonetic
DAN-yul
IPA
/ˈdænjəl/

2 syllables · stress: DAN-yul · ends in a consonant

Forms

Variants and nicknames

Alternate spellings

  • Daniil
  • Daniele
  • Daniyal
  • Daniyel

Short forms and nicknames

  • Dan
  • Danny
  • Dani

Languages

Daniel in other languages

Hebrew
דָּנִיֵּאלDaniel
Greek
ΔανιήλDaniēl
Latin
Daniel
Spanish
Daniel
French
Daniel
German
Daniel
Italian
Daniele
Russian
ДаниилDaniil
Arabic
دَانِيَالDaniyal

Christian background

Christian and biblical background

Daniel appears in the Old Testament book of Daniel. Christian readers remember both the court stories, such as the lions' den, and the later visions that shaped apocalyptic imagination. For more on prophet names in the Bible and the prophetic tradition, see Biblical prophet names.

Scripture

The biblical figure

In the Bible, Daniel is an exile in Babylon who serves foreign kings without abandoning his faith. His story includes wisdom, prayer, pressure, and deliverance.

Read the full story of Daniel in the Bible

Bearers

Notable people named Daniel

  • biblical

    DanielExile in Babylon and visionary prophet whose book bears his name

  • historical

    Daniel DefoeEnglish writer, author of Robinson Crusoe and Moll Flanders, around 1660 to 1731

  • historical

    Daniel BooneAmerican frontiersman and folk hero, 1734 to 1820

  • historical

    Daniel WebsterAmerican statesman and senator from Massachusetts, 1782 to 1852

  • modern

    Daniel Day-LewisBritish actor and three-time Academy Award winner for Best Actor, born 1957

  • modern

    Daniel RadcliffeEnglish actor best known as Harry Potter, born 1989

Saint

Holy Prophet Daniel

Traditions
Orthodox, Catholic

Orthodox tradition commemorates the prophet Daniel alongside the Three Holy Youths (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) who joined him in the Babylonian court.

Naming history

Naming tradition and history

Daniel has been widely used in Jewish and Christian naming and became a classic English biblical name. It remains familiar in the United States because it is biblical, readable, and easy to shorten.

Recent US use

Daniel in recent US use

Rank in 2025
#22
Peak rank
#5 in 1985
Recent trend
declining over the last 5 years
Years in the SSA records
146 (since 1880)

Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880-2025.

Sibling fit

Sibling name suggestions

For families

For families looking at Daniel

For a Christian family, Daniel signals integrity, prayer, and courage under pressure. Dan and Danny make it flexible across ages.

Common questions

What does Daniel mean?

Daniel means God is my judge.

Is Daniel a biblical name?

Yes. Daniel is the central figure in the Old Testament book of Daniel.

Is Daniel a Christian name?

Yes. Daniel has been used by Christians for centuries because of the biblical figure's faithfulness and courage.

Sources

Sources for Daniel

  • A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, Brown, Driver, and BriggsSupports: Hebrew etymology (God is my judge); meaning.
  • The Book of Daniel, King James Version (KJV 1769)Supports: scripture context (Daniel 6:22, the lions' den); biblical figure.
  • The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, David Hugh Farmer (5th edition)Supports: Holy Prophet Daniel; feast day (December 17).

Last reviewed July 19, 2026. See our methodology, or report an error on the corrections page.

Read next

Related names

DavidBoth are foundational Old Testament Hebrew boy names; Daniel served kings in Babylon as David did kings in Israel.SamuelBoth Daniel and Samuel were called by God as boys (1 Samuel 3; Daniel 1); both share the theme of faithful service under foreign or oppressive rule.ElijahBoth are prophetic OT names with direct theological statements ('God is my judge' and 'my God is the LORD').