Daniel is a
masculine
Masculinity (also called manhood or manliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles associated with men and boys. Masculinity can be theoretically understood as socially constructed, and there is also evidence that some behaviors con ...
given name
A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...
and a
surname
In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community.
Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...
of
Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"
[Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68.] (cf.
Gabriel—"God is my strength"), and derives from two early biblical figures, primary among them
Daniel
Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means "God is my judge"Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 68. (cf. Gabriel—"God is my strength" ...
from the
Book of Daniel. It is a common given name for males, and is also used as a surname. It is also the basis for various derived given names and surnames.
Background
The name evolved into over 100 different spellings in countries around the world.
Nicknames (
Dan,
Danny) are common in both
English and
Hebrew; "Dan" may also be a complete given name rather than a nickname. The name "Daniil" (Даниил) is common in
Russia.
Feminine
Femininity (also called womanliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with women and girls. Femininity can be understood as socially constructed, and there is also some evidence that some behaviors considered fe ...
versions (
Danielle,
Danièle, Daniela, Daniella, Dani, Danitza) are prevalent as well. It has been particularly well-used in
Ireland. The Dutch names "Daan" and "Daniël" are also variations of Daniel. A related surname developed as a
patronymic,
Daniels. Other surnames derived from "Daniel" include
McDaniel and Danielson.
Popularity
In the
United States, the U.S. Social Security Administration reports that Daniel has peaked as the fifth most popular name for newborns in 1985, 1990, 2007, and 2008. The U.S. Census Bureau reported that in the 2000 census, "Daniels" was the 182nd most common surname in the U.S., while "McDaniel" was ranked at 323, and "Daniel" (without a final "s") was ranked at 380. In 2016, Top 100 Baby Names in Canada ranked it at number 27.
[Top 100 Baby Names in Canada]
People named Daniel
*
List of people named Daniel
*
List of people surnamed Daniel
See also
*
Danel
References
{{given name
Theophoric names
Hebrew-language names
English-language masculine given names
English masculine given names
French masculine given names
Romanian masculine given names
Bulgarian masculine given names
Jewish given names
Czech masculine given names
Danish masculine given names
Swedish masculine given names
German masculine given names
Slovene masculine given names
Slovak masculine given names
Polish masculine given names
Norwegian masculine given names
Spanish masculine given names
Portuguese masculine given names
Russian masculine given names
Scandinavian masculine given names
Modern names of Hebrew origin