Fun Facts About the Name Uriel
- More than 21 thousand babies named Uriel: U.S. records list 21,390 babies given the name Uriel from 1880 through 2025. Even 318 girls received the name Uriel - about 1 girl for every 66 boys.
What Does the Name Uriel Mean?
Uriel is a Hebrew name meaning "God is my light" or "my light is God." It comes from the Hebrew אוּרִיאֵל (Uri'el), formed from אוֹר (or, "light") in a possessive form meaning "my light," and אֵל (El, "God"). The usual derivation is therefore light-based. Some explanations connect the first element to the similar Hebrew word אוּר (ur, "fire") and give the meaning "fire of God." That fire-based sense is an alternative interpretation and is also reinforced by the angel Uriel's later association with light and fire in Jewish and Christian tradition.
Uriel Name History & Origins
Uriel is an ancient Hebrew name. It appears in the Hebrew Bible as the name of several minor figures, including a Levite named Uriel in the books of Chronicles. In Second Temple Jewish literature, Uriel is one of the archangels: he appears in 1 Enoch and in 2 Esdras (also called 4 Ezra), where he interprets visions for Ezra. These texts helped carry the name into Christian angelology.
In Western Christianity, veneration of Uriel was limited. A synod held in Rome in 745, under Pope Zachary, restricted the veneration of angels to Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, and Uriel was not included. Uriel remained an archangel in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Ethiopian Orthodox traditions. In the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, he is one of the archangels commemorated in the liturgy. Uriel is also named as an archangel in some Anglican and other Christian traditions. The name appears in later literature: in John Milton's Paradise Lost, Uriel is the regent of the sun and the sharpest-sighted spirit in Heaven. That is a famous literary use, not the earliest record of the name.
As a given name, Uriel has been used in Jewish communities and in Christian communities. In modern times it is used in Israel, in Spanish-speaking countries, and in English-speaking countries. Its use as a personal name is distinct from its role as an angelic name, though the two have influenced each other.
How Popular is the Name Uriel?
Uriel recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2008. Its best rank was #386 in 2008.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #9,422 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2024 | #8,889 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2023 | #9,552 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2022 | #7,263 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2021 | #10,241 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2020 | #8,365 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2019 | #8,570 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2018 | #10,502 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2017 | #5,653 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2016 | #10,800 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2015 | #11,773 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2014 | #19,031 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #10,949 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2012 | #9,083 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2011 | #13,275 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #14,852 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2009 | #13,622 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #15,306 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #12,614 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #10,568 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2004 | #14,098 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #18,285 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2002 | #17,957 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #10,980 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2000 | #13,086 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #14,336 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #11,097 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #16,049 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #10,523 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1995 | #15,673 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #15,666 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #13,378 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #9,457 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1991 | #13,077 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #15,162 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #11,737 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #446 | 708 | 0.0415% |
| 2024 | #461 | 670 | 0.0391% |
| 2023 | #498 | 606 | 0.0355% |
| 2022 | #486 | 626 | 0.0359% |
| 2021 | #500 | 588 | 0.0336% |
| 2020 | #466 | 637 | 0.0369% |
| 2019 | #457 | 655 | 0.0365% |
| 2018 | #495 | 581 | 0.0320% |
| 2017 | #526 | 539 | 0.0291% |
| 2016 | #529 | 557 | 0.0294% |
| 2015 | #573 | 491 | 0.0256% |
| 2014 | #491 | 575 | 0.0299% |
| 2013 | #484 | 571 | 0.0302% |
| 2012 | #482 | 559 | 0.0295% |
| 2011 | #448 | 604 | 0.0318% |
| 2010 | #441 | 615 | 0.0321% |
| 2009 | #404 | 733 | 0.0370% |
| 2008 | #386 | 789 | 0.0387% |
| 2007 | #399 | 741 | 0.0357% |
| 2006 | #402 | 751 | 0.0365% |
| 2005 | #402 | 706 | 0.0354% |
| 2004 | #445 | 587 | 0.0296% |
| 2003 | #435 | 581 | 0.0294% |
| 2002 | #450 | 548 | 0.0282% |
| 2001 | #468 | 509 | 0.0262% |
| 2000 | #476 | 494 | 0.0252% |
| 1999 | #485 | 459 | 0.0239% |
| 1998 | #516 | 406 | 0.0212% |
| 1997 | #528 | 379 | 0.0201% |
| 1996 | #514 | 396 | 0.0209% |
| 1995 | #533 | 358 | 0.0188% |
| 1994 | #561 | 335 | 0.0173% |
| 1993 | #579 | 316 | 0.0161% |
| 1992 | #589 | 307 | 0.0154% |
| 1991 | #657 | 239 | 0.0118% |
| 1990 | #689 | 217 | 0.0106% |
| 1989 | #799 | 156 | 0.0078% |
| 1988 | #815 | 136 | 0.0071% |
| 1987 | #890 | 112 | 0.0060% |
| 1986 | #953 | 93 | 0.0051% |
| 1985 | #938 | 95 | 0.0051% |
| 1984 | #1,032 | 75 | 0.0042% |
| 1983 | #1,130 | 64 | 0.0036% |
| 1982 | #1,048 | 76 | 0.0042% |
| 1981 | #1,168 | 63 | 0.0035% |
| 1980 | #1,078 | 71 | 0.0040% |
| 1979 | #1,136 | 63 | 0.0037% |
| 1978 | #1,324 | 48 | 0.0029% |
| 1977 | #1,242 | 52 | 0.0032% |
| 1976 | #1,468 | 38 | 0.0024% |
| 1975 | #1,558 | 34 | 0.0022% |
| 1974 | #1,976 | 23 | 0.0015% |
| 1973 | #2,600 | 15 | 0.0010% |
| 1972 | #2,071 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1971 | #2,199 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1970 | #1,521 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 1969 | #2,301 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1968 | #2,191 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1967 | #2,023 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1966 | #2,969 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1965 | #2,070 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1964 | #1,896 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1963 | #2,293 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1962 | #3,289 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1961 | #3,333 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1960 | #2,306 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1959 | #3,029 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1958 | #2,087 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1955 | #3,859 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1954 | #2,436 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1952 | #4,226 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1951 | #4,220 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1946 | #3,501 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1945 | #3,750 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1944 | #3,406 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1934 | #3,257 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1933 | #3,611 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1931 | #4,287 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1930 | #3,273 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1929 | #2,753 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1928 | #4,116 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1926 | #2,293 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1925 | #3,132 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1924 | #3,487 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1923 | #3,452 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1922 | #3,842 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1921 | #3,496 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1920 | #2,947 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1919 | #4,763 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1918 | #3,695 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1917 | #3,939 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1915 | #2,816 | 9 | 0.0011% |
| 1914 | #1,967 | 12 | 0.0018% |
| 1913 | #3,233 | 5 | 0.0010% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Uriel Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have talent, charm and luck. You can succeed in art and in any educational occupation. You attract peculiar experiences. Your power and protection lies in spiritual side of life. You are an enthusiastic collector and you will be tenacious in holding onto the things you accumulate. You have a good memory and should make an effort to have a positive attitude. Emergencies may raise your intuitive abilities in order to resolve conflict or situation. You become very creative under the pressure, and have quite original ideas to make the best out of it.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Uriel's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Uriel's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.