Daniel is a boy name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Daniel means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Daniel across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Daniel has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Daniel is a boy name of Hebrew origin meaning “God is my judge”. the biblical prophet of the lions' den.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 1,991,091 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 120,554 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 18,825 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 5,236 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 29,757 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 24,034 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Daniel per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1985 (38,853/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (10,338/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1991 (872/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2009 (842/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2008 (270/yr).
Daniel has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1985, when it ranked #9 nationally (given to 39,759 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1980s.
Danielle · Daniela · Daniella · Donnell · Danelle · Danial · Donal · Danyell
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