Origin, Meaning, And History Of Daniel
Daniel comes from Hebrew origin and is derived from ‘Daniyyel,’ a Hebrew name that means ‘God is my judge.’ In the Old Testament of the Bible, the Book of Daniel mentions him as the Hebrew prophet who served the king and was known for his ability to interpret dreams and have apocalyptic visions. Daniel is also mentioned in the Book of Ezekiel of the Bible as someone praised for his virtue and wisdom. Hence, the name is associated with solid biblical figures, addressing a significant masculine being.
Another interesting fact is that in Judaism, ‘El’ at the end of the name is one of the names of God. Thus, Daniel carries the power of authority.
Owing to its reference to well-known biblical characters, the name started to be widely used among the Christian community. Much of its popularity may be credited to Daniel’s strong faith in the Bible when faced with pressure and persecution. Moreover, its namesake being the 2nd century Christian Martyr and 9th century hermit, the lives of which are popular among Christians, made Daniel a household name in the Middle Ages. Although the name started to lose its edge by the 15th century, the Protestant Reformation became its revival.
The name has several variations that differ by country and people. Some examples include Danilo (Spanish), Danilo (Portuguese), Danail (Bulgarian), Danijel (Croatian), and Danijel (Slovene). You may also explore some cool nicknames such as Dan, Dannie, Danny, and Dancho.
It is amazing how well the name has kept up with the pace of the entertainment industry and fiction in every generation. For example, in the 1984 movie ‘The Karate Kid,’ Daniel LaRusso was the protagonist. The American romantic drama ‘Ugly Betty’ has the name Daniel Meade. In the movie ‘A Few Good Men,’ the protagonist is described as Lieutenant Daniel Alistair Kaffee, which Tom Cruise plays. And the fictional TV series Fear the Walking Dead has Daniel Salazar as the main character and a survivor.
Hence, you can see the gravity of the name Daniel and its popularity among people that has surpassed generations.
How To Pronounce Daniel?
Famous People With The Name Daniel
- Daniel Day-LewisBritish actor who won Oscars as Best actor for the movies My Left Foot, Lincoln, and There Will Be Blood
- Daniel KaluuyaBritish actor, best known for his spine-chilling performance in the movie Get Out, who won the Oscar for best supporting actor for the movie Judas and the Black Messiah
- Daniel CraigEnglish actor most popular for his role as James Bond and was nominated for a BAFTA for his first role as Bond
- Daniel DennettAmerican philosopher and writer who won the Jean Nicod Prize in 2001 and Erasmus Prize in 2012
- Daniel RadcliffeBritish actor, internationally appreciated for his role as Harry Potter in the Harry Potter franchise
Daniel On The Popularity Chart
Daniel has been an overly populated name since the 1980s. You can see the details of its popularity and ranking over the years in the given charts below.
Popularity Over Time
During the long period of 1980 to late 2007, the name remained highly popular among the parents to name their baby boys. Check out the graph below to understand how well it did on the popularity chart.
Source: Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
Daniel ranked the highest in 1983 at 12,078 but started to decline since then. Have a look at the chart to see more details.
Source: Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sound As Daniel
If you liked the ring of the name Daniel and want something with a similar sound, have a look at the listed names.
Popular Sibling Names For Daniel
Names With Similar Meaning As Daniel
If you are searching for names that may appeal to your choices for having the same meaning as Daniel, the following suggestions may be helpful to you.
Infographic: Know The Name’s Personality As Per Numerology
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
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How To Communicate The Name In Other Languages
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Name Numerology For Daniel
