Angel Names

It's the name of an Old Testament archangel that's symbolically given to boys born during Chanukah, but the possibility of unsavory nicknames (urinal?) make the short form Uri a better bet.

This most proper form of the name shot up the charts in the nineties, only to sink just as precipitously, supplanted by upstarts Makayla and McKayla ad infinitum.

Bell-like and original.

Amael or Amaël is a variant of the popular Breton name Mael or Maël, which ranks in the Top 10 in France.

Dina is a 20th century version of either Dinah or Adinah, two Old Testament names not related to each other. Dinah was the beautiful daughter of Jacob and Leah, while Adinah or Adina was a male soldier, though the name is also used for girls in modern Israel.

A son of Noah in the Bible who is also thought to be an ancestor of the Greek people and the guardian angel of Greece.

A relatively modern (18th C) Irish Gaelic name, Siofra or, more properly, Síofra with the fada has its roots in superstition. In the past, when babies were born in Ireland their families feared that the fairies would steal the baby and leave an elven changeling child in its place. It’s an uncommon name starting to pick up in its native country.

A euphonious and lovely name with a dark-eyed, long-flowing-haired image, Raphaela is, like Gabriella and Isabella, beginning to be drawn into the American mainstream.

A common unisex name in Israel, more properly written as Ya'el, Yael rose more than 200 places in 2023 to become one of the fastest-rising boys' names of the year in the US.

Spell it Rafaela (Spanish), Raffaella (Italian), Rafaela (German), or Raphaela (Hebrew), this is a euphonious and lovely name with a dark-eyed, long-flowing-haired image, which is, like Gabriella and Isabella, beginning to be drawn into the American mainstream.

This name obviously has the prefix De- that denotes "son of"—in this form it can mean either "son of Angelo" or "from the angel."

An undiscovered surname possibility with upscale overtones, could be enlivened with nickname Ingo.

Cute nickname of Angela and other angelic names, Angie is now being used on its own, although its popularity has fallen in recent years. That said, Angie is one of those surprising classics, hanging on in the girls' Top 1000 continuously since its inception in 1880.

If you're seeking a biblical name somewhat similar to the popular Samuel but way more distinctive, this could be the one.

Malika is an attractive multi-cultural name--it is also a pet form of Amalia in Hungary.

This name of the Hindu god of the sun and of friendship sounds feminine enough to work for a girl.

Angelique was the fastest-rising girl name of 2021, influenced by French-Mexican actress Angelique Boyer, who starred in the telenovela Imperio de mentiras (Empire of Lies).

The popular Dutch name Lieke is one of those diminutives, like Lena, that can be short for a range of names ending in its sound -- which, by the way, is the two-syllable LEE-ka. Despite its versatility, we don't see Lieke's popularity translating to English-speaking cultures.

What a difference one letter makes - the somewhat tired, though still heavenly Angela, gets a makeover as sweet and subtle Aniela. Definitely worth considering.