Angels are still part of how most Americans see the world. Gallup’s 2023 survey put belief in them at 69% of U.S. adults (1), so a name that means angel arrives with something a lot of people already recognize.
This list runs to 100 names, from the everyday to the almost unheard of. Michael ranked #21 among U.S. boy names in 2025 and Daniel #22, while 29 of the names below have never been given to as many as five American babies in a single year, which is the point at which the Social Security Administration starts publishing a name at all (2).
That reach shows up in current naming trends too. Sophie Kihm, Nameberry’s editor in chief, says “celestial names like Celeste, Celine and Celia are currently fashionable for baby girls,” and Celeste, one of the picks below, hit its best-ever U.S. rank in 2025.
Not every angel is sweet, either. A few of these belong to the angel of death, the accuser, or the pair who question the dead, and each entry says so plainly instead of letting you find out later. Every rank here comes from U.S. birth records, so it describes American use and nothing beyond it.
Popularity at a Glance
The most popular names on this list in the United States, 1965 to 2025: Michael, Daniel, Gabriel, Angel and Malachi.
- Michael
- Daniel
- Gabriel
- Angel
- Malachi
100 Beautiful Angel Names for Boys and Girls
Every name below comes with its meaning, origin, pronunciation, and where it stands in the latest U.S. birth data.
Abaddon
In Revelation, Abaddon is the angel of the abyss, ruler of a locust swarm and a name that means ruin. That is heavy freight for a nursery, though the same figure is drawn as a commander with real authority. Video game fans know Abaddon from Dota, which lightens the biblical weight a little. It stays rare enough that a child bearing it will likely never meet another Abaddon at school.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Ruin, destruction
- Pronunciation: ah-BAH-dahn
- Popularity: Abaddon last appeared in the U.S. data in 2023 at #10,826, and its best showing was #8,744 in 2020, the year it first charted.
Abatur
Abatur belongs to the Mandaeans, a small religious community rooted in the Middle East, where he is honored as the father of the angels. He is tied to the Polaris star as well, which gives the name a fixed, guiding quality. Nothing about Abatur is ordinary, and for some parents that is the whole point.
- Origin: Mandaean
- Meaning: Father of the angels
- Pronunciation: ah-BAH-toor
- Popularity: Abatur has never reached the five-birth line the SSA needs before it publishes a name, which puts it in the same territory as our most unique name picks.
Abhinoor
Abhinoor is an Indian name meaning angel, with alternate readings like listen that suit a daughter her parents waited a long time to meet. It honors Indian heritage without reaching for a name that already turns three heads at every roll call. The three syllables look formal written down and sound soft spoken aloud. Abhi trims it to something quick for the playground.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Angel
- Pronunciation: AH-bih-NOR
- Popularity: Abhinoor has never met the SSA’s five-birth threshold, so no U.S. ranking exists for it.
Ael
Ael is Breton for angel, three letters that split into two syllables and surprise everyone who expects one. Short names tend to age well and leave room for a longer middle name. Expect to spell it out, then expect the compliment that follows.
- Origin: Breton, Celtic
- Meaning: Angel
- Pronunciation: ay-EL
- Popularity: Ael has never appeared in the SSA’s published data, which lists only names given to at least five U.S. babies in a year.
Agnola
Agnola began as the surname of a distinguished Italian family before it softened into a nickname for someone with a gentle streak. Italian speakers have used it much the way English speakers use sweetheart. That history gives it an old-world formality without any stiffness. Nola is the modern shortening waiting inside it.
- Origin: Italian
- Meaning: Angel
- Pronunciation: ag-NOH-lah
- Popularity: Agnola has no SSA record at all, so it sits below the federal data’s five-birth cutoff.
Alyssa
Alyssa is usually filed as Greek, but the Indian reading of sweet angel gives a familiar name an unfamiliar depth. The Greek line traces to the alyssum flower, once believed to cure illness. It travels well, landing naturally in Europe and India alike, and it still has plenty of company in American classrooms. Alyssa Mendonsa, a singer in Bollywood films, is the namesake most often cited. The pronunciation question comes up now and then, and that is about the only friction the name creates.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Sweet angel
- Pronunciation: ah-LEE-sah
- Variations: Aleesa, Alissa, Aleesah
- Namesakes: Alyssa Mendonsa, an Indian singer in Bollywood films.
- Popularity: Alyssa ranked #453 in the U.S. in 2025, far off its 1998 peak of #11, and its births are down about 76% on the previous decade.
Anahera
Anahera is the Maori word for angel, and some sources stretch it to archangel, which is about the highest compliment a name can carry. Four syllables that rise and fall give it a melodic quality most short names cannot match. Ana handles the everyday version for anyone who stumbles over the full one.
- Origin: Maori
- Meaning: Angel
- Pronunciation: AH-nuh-HAIR-uh
- Popularity: Anahera first charted in the U.S. in 2024 and ranked #13,322 in 2025, so the federal data has barely met it.
Ananiel
The Coptic Orthodox Church counts Ananiel among the seven holy archangels, and scholars read the name as rain of God or cloud of God. He is described as the guardian of the gates that let rain, dew, and prosperity through, which makes this a hopeful pick rather than a solemn one. The shape of it sits close to Daniel, so it sounds familiar even to people meeting it for the first time. Biblical weight with an easy sound is the whole argument for it.
- Origin: Hebrew, Greek
- Meaning: Rain of God
- Pronunciation: ah-NAY-nee-el
- Popularity: Ananiel has never reached the SSA’s five-birth publication line, so it carries no U.S. ranking.
Angel
A list of names that mean angel would be strange without Angel itself, the Greek word for messenger. Religious texts describe angels as forces to be reckoned with rather than soft nursery decoration, which may explain why American parents use this one far more often for boys. It also crosses languages and faiths with almost no friction, so it suits families who speak more than one. Few names this well used stay this simple.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Messenger
- Pronunciation: AYN-gehl
- Namesakes: Angel Medina, an American comic book illustrator known for his work in Marvel comics.
- Popularity: Angel ranked #67 in the U.S. in 2025 and has been in the data since 1888, with a best finish of #31 in 2006.
Angelette
Angelette is French for little angel, and the ending does exactly what the meaning promises, shrinking something grand into something tender. It peaked in 1970 at #2,355 and has been a whisper ever since, which is either the drawback or the entire appeal. It sits comfortably beside the other French titles parents reach for, Juliette and Colette among them. It stays rare enough that a daughter carrying it is unlikely to share a classroom with another one.
- Origin: French
- Meaning: Little angel
- Pronunciation: AHN-jool-eht
- Popularity: Angelette is the rarest name on this list that the SSA still records, ranked #15,129 in 2025, roughly one girl in 333,000.
Angeliyah
Angeliyah reads as an elaborated Angela, with an ending that lifts the whole name upward, fitting for a meaning like ascending angel. There are no famous bearers to measure up to, so your daughter gets to define it herself. Angie and Liyah are both waiting when four syllables feel like a lot on a school form.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Ascending angel
- Pronunciation: an-JEE-lee-yah
- Popularity: Angeliyah last charted in 2017 at #10,776, and its best year was 2012 at #6,899.
Angelo
Angelo is the Italian and Greek form of messenger, and it has carried artists, athletes, and actors for well over a century. Angelo Poffo, the American pro wrestler, is one of the more colorful namesakes in the bunch. Adele chose it for her son in 2012, which nudged a classic back into conversation. It is warm without being soft, and it shortens to Ange the moment anyone gets comfortable.
- Origin: Italian, Greek
- Meaning: Messenger, angel
- Pronunciation: AN-juh-loh
- Namesakes: Angelo Poffo, an American pro wrestler.
- Popularity: Angelo ranked #304 in the U.S. in 2025 and has been in the data since 1881, peaking at #146 in 1914.
Angeni
Angeni means spirit angel, and where it is used in Native American culture, angels are often understood as the dead returning to watch over the living. That makes it a quiet way to name a daughter for someone the family lost. Geni shortens it, though three syllables were never much of a burden.
- Origin: Native American
- Meaning: Spirit angel
- Pronunciation: AN-jen-ee
- Popularity: Angeni last appeared in the U.S. data in 2014 at #16,756, after a best showing of #7,612 in 2003.
Aniela
Aniela is the Polish take on the Greek word for angel, a cousin to Angela and Angelos with a softer landing. The Polish and Greek roots give it reach across Europe while staying easy for English speakers to say. Aniella is the spelling variant most often seen. Aniela Gumbs, the American actress from Grey’s Anatomy, is the bearer most parents will recognize.
- Origin: Polish, Greek
- Meaning: Angel, messenger of God
- Pronunciation: ahn-YELL-ah
- Variations: Aniella
- Namesakes: Aniela Gumbs, an American actress known for her role in Grey’s Anatomy.
- Popularity: Aniela ranked #3,985 in the U.S. in 2025 and has appeared in the data since 1913, with a best finish of #2,526 in 1918.
Aniol
Aniol announces its own meaning: it is the Greek word for angel, and it also reads as messenger, the job angels are usually given. Aniol Dowgird, the Polish philosopher, gives it a thoughtful namesake. This is the pick for parents who want a sound everyone recognizes attached to a spelling almost nobody uses.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Messenger, angel
- Pronunciation: AN-ee-ohl
- Namesakes: Aniol Dowgird, a Polish philosopher.
- Popularity: Aniol has never reached the SSA’s five-birth line, so it carries no U.S. ranking.
Anir
Anir has North African roots, drawn from the indigenous Berber people, who read it as angel. The Berber community is largely Muslim, which helps explain the religious weight the name still carries. Four letters and two syllables mean people ask about the spelling once and then remember it for good.
- Origin: Berber
- Meaning: Angel
- Pronunciation: eh-NEE
- Popularity: Anir ranked #5,875 in the U.S. in 2025 and first charted in 2011, with a best finish of #4,578 in 2022.
Apsara
An apsara, in Hindu and Buddhist tradition, is a celestial spirit of sky and water, about as close to an angel as those texts come. They shapeshift, and above all they dance, so the name arrives with movement built into it. Parents who like a name that comes with a story will get one every time somebody asks.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Celestial maiden
- Pronunciation: ap-SAH-rah
- Popularity: Apsara last charted in the U.S. in 2018 at #13,969, with a best showing of #11,105 in 2001.
Arcangela
Arcangela is built straight from archangel, the highest rank in the celestial order, so it aims high from the first syllable. Archangels get the big assignments, miracles included, which is a lot to hand a newborn and also rather lovely. Arcangela Tarabotti, the Italian writer, is the standout bearer and a genuinely interesting one. Decades out of American use leaves your daughter a clean slate, four syllables and all.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: High-ranking angel
- Pronunciation: ar-KAN-juh-luh
- Namesakes: Arcangela Tarabotti, an Italian writer.
- Popularity: Arcangela last appeared in the U.S. data in 1971 at #8,407, long after its 1923 peak of #4,399.
Arella
Arella is Hebrew for angel or messenger of God, though it never appears in the Bible itself. It sits in the same sound family as Aurelia and Ariella without being either one. Ella is the ready-made nickname.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Angel, messenger of God
- Pronunciation: AIR-el-ah
- Namesakes: Arella Guirantes, an American basketball player.
- Popularity: Arella ranked #7,931 in the U.S. in 2025, reached its best rank of #4,394 in 2024, and has surfaced in the data on and off since 1918.
Ariel
Ariel means lion of God, and in Christian mysticism the archangel Ariel is given charge of the earth’s elements, an association most people miss entirely. What they catch instead is The Little Mermaid, which set the name’s course for a generation. Shakespeare got there first, giving the airy spirit in The Tempest the same name. Arielle is the dressier spelling, and the name works for either sex, though American parents use it far more often for girls.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Lion of God
- Pronunciation: AIR-ee-el, AR-ee-el
- Variations: Arielle
- Namesakes: Ariel Winter, an American actress known for her role in Modern Family.
- Popularity: Ariel ranked #356 in the U.S. in 2025 and has charted since 1892, peaking at #66 in 1991.
Atchara
With Thai roots and a meaning of angel, Atchara arrives almost unwritten, and whoever carries it gets to fill the page. The melody is what draws parents in, three even syllables that never stumble. Cara trims it neatly for anyone who wants a shorter option.
- Origin: Thai
- Meaning: Angel
- Pronunciation: aht-CHAR-uh
- Popularity: Atchara has no SSA record, which means fewer than five U.S. babies a year receive it.
Aurel
Aurel means golden angel, and it was first used for a fair-haired child, so the image sits right there in the name. It shares a sound with aura, which gives it an airy quality suited to its meaning. There are no famous bearers pulling it in any particular direction, which leaves the field open.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Golden angel
- Pronunciation: OR-uhl
- Popularity: Aurel ranked #8,994 in the U.S. in 2025 and has drifted in and out of the data since 1913, with a best finish of #1,996 in 1917.
Azrael
Azrael is the angel of death in Islamic tradition, where he is treated with reverence rather than dread, and the name itself means God is my help. Pop culture has kept it visible, from a DC Comics vigilante to the cat in The Smurfs. The edge is real, and so is the climb. Azriel is the variant for parents who want the sound with a slightly softer look on paper.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is my help
- Pronunciation: AZ-ray-el
- Variations: Azriel
- Popularity: Azrael ranked #656 in the U.S. in 2025, the highest it has ever placed, and its births are up about 607% on the previous decade, the fastest rise on this list.
Barbelo
In Gnostic texts Barbelo is a tangible energy given off by God, described as both male and female, which makes the name a natural fit for parents shopping outside the usual categories. It leans female in practice, though nothing about it insists. Barb is there when you want an ordinary handle for an extraordinary name.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Angel of goodness
- Pronunciation: BAR-buh-loh
- Popularity: Barbelo has never met the SSA’s five-birth cutoff, so no U.S. ranking exists for it.
Cael
Cael is the zodiac angel of Cancer, which makes it an easy pick for a summer baby, and the Gaelic word behind it means slender. The angel is described with warrior grit and a gentler streak at once, a combination plenty of little boys grow into. Cael Sanderson, the American wrestler, is the namesake sports families will know. It looks Irish, sounds current, and takes a second to say.
- Origin: Gaelic, Irish
- Meaning: Slender
- Pronunciation: KAIL
- Namesakes: Cael Sanderson, an American wrestler.
- Popularity: Cael ranked #1,945 in the U.S. in 2025, well down from its 2002 peak of #778.
Camael
In Jewish and Christian tradition, Camael is the archangel who escorted Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden, and the name reads as God has warned. His portfolio is war, strength, and courage, which is a bolder set of associations than most angel names carry. That makes it a fit for parents who want something with some steel in it. Cam sends your little warrior undercover whenever he needs it.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God has warned
- Pronunciation: kam-EYE-el
- Popularity: Camael has never reached the SSA’s five-birth publication line, so it has no U.S. ranking.
Cassiel
Cassiel guards those born under Capricorn, so the name has a built-in gift for a January baby. It also carries the meaning angel of Saturday, which suits a child born at the laid-back end of the week. The sound leans soft, though it has been used for boys throughout its history. Vintage nicknames include Cass.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Angel of Saturday
- Pronunciation: KAS-ee-el
- Popularity: Cassiel ranked #2,488 in the U.S. in 2025, its best finish yet, having first charted in 2009.
Celeste
Celeste means of the sky, the shorthand religious writers use for a heavenly being. There are few spelling variants to weigh, though you can choose between the crisp two-syllable version and the softer three-syllable one. European families treat it as unisex; in the U.S. it is used almost entirely for girls. Celeste Ng, the American novelist, and Celeste Wright from Big Little Lies keep it in circulation. After more than a century in the data, it is having its best year right now.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Of the sky, heavenly
- Pronunciation: suh-LEST, suh-LES-tee
- Namesakes: Celeste Ng, an American fiction writer.
- Popularity: Celeste ranked #188 in the U.S. in 2025, the best rank it has ever held, and it has been in the data since 1881.
Charmeine
Charmeine is the angel of harmony, which makes it a quiet wish for a household that wants to hold together. The roots are Hebrew, but the sound is unmistakably French, so it appeals to parents chasing something polished. Charm is right there in the spelling, and your daughter will use it.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Angel of harmony
- Pronunciation: shar-MEEN
- Popularity: Charmeine has no SSA record, so fewer than five U.S. babies a year are given it.
Cherub
Cherub is one of the bluntest names on this list, the Hebrew word itself rather than a variation on it. Valentine’s cards have made cherubs look sweet and chubby, but cherubim rank near the top of the celestial order in scripture. Alternate readings include blessed, which is the gentler side of the same coin. Few names manage to be this literal and this unexpected at once.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Angel
- Pronunciation: CHAIR-uhb
- Popularity: Cherub last appeared in the U.S. data in 1999 at #13,011, with a best showing of #10,473 in 1979.
Chi
Nobody agrees on where Chi began, with Vietnam and West Africa both laying claim. The meanings stack up accordingly: personal guardian angel in Igbo, tree branch elsewhere, a symbol of a new generation arriving. Chi Cheng, the American musician from Deftones, is the bearer most people name first. One syllable, three letters, and no agreement on where it started.
- Origin: English, African, Vietnamese
- Meaning: Personal guardian angel, man with purpose
- Pronunciation: CHEE
- Namesakes: Chi Cheng, an American musician and member of the metal band Deftones.
- Popularity: Chi ranked #6,596 in the U.S. in 2025, still short of its 1973 peak of #2,516.
Custodia
Custodia comes from the same root as custodian, and it describes a guardian angel rather than merely referring to one. A Portuguese clergyman is among the few recorded bearers. Plenty of families credit their guardian angel for the near miss that never became an accident, and this is the name for a household that thinks that way.
- Origin: Spanish
- Meaning: Guardian angel
- Pronunciation: kus-TOH-dee-ah
- Popularity: Custodia has never met the SSA’s five-birth threshold, so no U.S. ranking exists.
Dabria
Dabria is the angel of death, so anyone shopping strictly for sweetness should keep scrolling. For everyone else, the sound is genuinely lovely and the meaning gives it an edge most pretty names lack. Becca Fitzpatrick borrowed it for a character in Hush, Hush, which is where most American parents first met it. Bri and Bria cover the days you would rather not explain the back story.
- Origin: Latin, English
- Meaning: Angel of death
- Pronunciation: DAH-bree-uh
- Popularity: Dabria last charted in the U.S. in 2014 at #15,012, with a best showing of #7,685 in 2003.
Daemon
Daemon looks like a near miss for demon, but the two words sit on opposite sides of the ledger. In Greek mythology, daemons were benevolent guardian spirits, half god and half mortal, closer to angels than to anything sinister. Game of Thrones gave the spelling a famous bearer and a fresh wave of attention. Daimone is the variant if you want the sound without the sharp opening.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: A guardian spirit, a supernatural being
- Pronunciation: DAY-muhn
- Variations: Daimone
- Popularity: Daemon ranked #1,645 in the U.S. in 2025 and has charted since 1970, with a best finish of #1,239 in 2023.
Daniel
Most people meet Daniel in the lions’ den, but he moonlights as an archangel too. The Book of Enoch casts him as a Watcher who teaches humans to read the signs in nature, which is an unexpectedly gentle job description for a name this sturdy. That makes it a fine pick for a future naturalist, or for a family that just wants something that has never once sounded dated. It ranked #22 in 2025 and reached #5 in 1985, proof that a sturdy name does not have to go out of style.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is my leader
- Pronunciation: DAN-yuhl
- Namesakes: Daniel Radcliffe, a British actor known for his role in Harry Potter.
- Popularity: Daniel ranked #22 in the U.S. in 2025, has been in the data since 1880, and reached #5 in 1985.
Devangana
Devangana means celestial maid, and it is one of the most elaborate names on this list, four syllables of unhurried Sanskrit. Parents who like long names with serious meanings will find little competition here. Dee and Deevan both cut it down to size when a form runs out of boxes.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Celestial maid
- Pronunciation: dee-van-YAH-nuh
- Popularity: Devangana has never reached the SSA’s five-birth line, so it carries no U.S. ranking.
Devika
Devika means angel-like and comes from Devi, the Hindu mother goddess, so the name reaches for something larger than itself. That divine association has kept it in steady use for decades rather than sending it up and down with fashion. Three easy syllables make it a light lift for English speakers. Whether your daughter turns out sweet or a touch imperious, the name covers both.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Angel-like
- Pronunciation: DAY-vih-kah
- Namesakes: Devika Vaidya, an Indian cricketer who inspired the movie Dil Bole Hadippa!
- Popularity: Devika ranked #5,773 in the U.S. in 2025 and has charted since 1975, with a best finish of #4,017 in 1993.
Dina
Dina had its moment in the late 1960s and has been drifting quietly ever since, which is exactly the position vintage names occupy before they come back. It stands on its own, though in mythical accounts it also serves as a name for Jophiel, the archangel of beauty. Jophiel is one of the few archangels depicted as female, which gives Dina a quiet feminist streak. Dinah is the fuller spelling if you want a little more on the page. For parents who like short names with real history, this is the pick.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Judged
- Pronunciation: DEE-nah, DYE-nah
- Variations: Dinah
- Namesakes: Dina Edling, a Swedish opera singer.
- Popularity: Dina ranked #1,327 in the U.S. in 2025, a long way from its 1969 peak of #199, but still charting after more than a century in the data.
Engelbert
Engelbert means bright angel, and the roll of bearers runs to dukes, counts, and Engelbert I, the saint of Cologne. Engelbert Humperdinck, the English balladeer, gave it a second life in a very different key. It is a stately, unhurried name that asks a boy to grow into it. Bert does the daily work while he does.
- Origin: German
- Meaning: Bright angel
- Pronunciation: IN-gehl-bert
- Namesakes: Engelbert Humperdinck, an English balladeer.
- Popularity: Engelbert last appeared in the U.S. data in 1995 at #8,119, down from its 1970 peak of #2,428, and it still reads as a European boy name to American ears.
Engla
Engla is the feminine form of Engel and means simply angel, with German and Scandinavian roots on either side. It fits the plain, cozy style parents borrow from Nordic naming, all soft consonants and no fuss. The lack of famous bearers is part of the draw for families who would rather not share.
- Origin: German, Scandinavian
- Meaning: Angel
- Pronunciation: ING-lah
- Popularity: Engla has no SSA record, so fewer than five U.S. babies a year receive it.
Erelah
Erelah is Hebrew for angel, no interpretation required. The sound lands near Cinderella and Arabella, which gives it a storybook quality without the costume. Parents who want a name with no complicated associations to explain will appreciate how clean it is. Its rarity means a daughter would probably grow up without meeting another Erelah.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Angel
- Pronunciation: AIR-eh-lah
- Popularity: Erelah has never met the SSA’s five-birth cutoff, so no U.S. ranking exists for it.
Evangeline
Evangeline means bearer of good news, which is the plainest description of an angel’s job anywhere on this list. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow put it in the American ear with his poem, and it has never fully left. Modern audiences know it from Nanny McPhee and The Princess and the Frog, and Evangeline Lilly carried it through Lost. Eva, Evie, and Lena are all hiding inside it. It is having the strongest year of its long life right now.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Bearer of good news
- Pronunciation: ee-VAN-juh-leen
- Namesakes: Evangeline Lily, a Canadian actress known for her role in Lost.
- Popularity: Evangeline ranked #147 in the U.S. in 2025, the best rank it has ever held, after charting on and off since 1881.
Farishta
Farishta is Persian for angel and a popular title in Muslim communities, where angels hold a central place in belief. The word itself does not appear in the Quran, which does nothing to dent its standing. Farishtah is the alternate spelling. The name tells a daughter exactly how she is regarded, every time somebody says it.
- Origin: Persian
- Meaning: Angel
- Pronunciation: fah-REESH-tah
- Variations: Farishtah
- Popularity: Farishta ranked #12,325 in the U.S. in 2025 and first charted in 2019, reaching #7,770 in 2023.
Farohar
Farohar means angel or spirit, and it has less recorded history than almost anything else here. What survives points to the celestial rather than the earthly, which is the whole reason it belongs on this list. The sound is warm and slightly grand, better suited to a girl with opinions than to a wallflower.
- Origin: Indian, Arabic
- Meaning: Angel, spirit
- Pronunciation: FAIR-oh-har
- Popularity: Farohar has never reached the SSA’s five-birth line, so it carries no U.S. ranking.
Gabriel
Gabriel is the messenger archangel, the one who announces the birth of the savior and who appears to Daniel in the Old Testament. In Islam he is the angel who delivers the Quran to Muhammad, which gives the name standing across three faiths. Very few names carry that much shared history and still sound this easy on a toddler. Gabe handles the playground shift.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Hero of God
- Pronunciation: GAY-bree-el
- Namesakes: Gabriel Iglesias, an American comedian.
- Popularity: Gabriel ranked #37 in the U.S. in 2025, has charted every year since 1880, and peaked at #21 in 2010.
Gelya
Gelya is a Greek variation on Angela, and some families use it as a pet form of Angelina, which makes it feel more current than its age suggests. Alternate readings include messenger of God. It is soft-edged and unhurried, a good match for the child everyone else relaxes around.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Angel
- Pronunciation: JEL-yah
- Popularity: Gelya has no SSA record, so fewer than five U.S. babies a year are given it.
Gloria
Gloria in Excelsis Deo, glory to God in the highest, is the hymn the angels sing to the shepherds, and the name comes straight out of it. That makes it a natural for a December baby, since the same hymn returns every Christmas. The bearers run from Gloria Gaynor to heiresses and philanthropists, so there is no shortage of company. It is a vintage name in the best sense: out of the top ranks, never out of use.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Glory
- Pronunciation: GLOR-ee-ah
- Namesakes: Gloria Gaynor, an American disco singer.
- Popularity: Gloria ranked #655 in the U.S. in 2025, far below its 1925 peak of #20, though it has been in the data since 1881.
Gotzone
Gotzone is the Basque word for angel, and families with Spanish heritage will recognize it long before anyone else does. Seven letters, which religious readers may enjoy, since seven is the number of completion. Zo keeps it under wraps for anyone who would rather not explain the spelling twice a day.
- Origin: Spanish, Basque
- Meaning: Angel
- Pronunciation: GOT-zohn
- Popularity: Gotzone has never met the SSA’s five-birth threshold, so no U.S. ranking exists for it.
Halo
Halo is the one piece of angel iconography everybody can picture, a ring of light that has been standard issue for centuries. Beyonce’s song and a very large video game franchise have both kept the word in circulation, which is unusual company for a baby name. It works for either sex on paper, though American parents use it far more often for girls. Four letters, one clear image, no explanation needed.
- Origin: English, Greek
- Meaning: Divine aura
- Pronunciation: hay-LOH
- Popularity: Halo ranked #613 in the U.S. in 2025, close to its 2024 best of #513, having first charted in 2000.
Haniel
Haniel is the archangel of joy, which is about as good a wish as you can hang on a child. The name reads as grace of God, with alternate meanings like favor and charm. It is unisex on the page but leans male in practice, helped along by how closely it rhymes with Daniel. That resemblance is the whole reason it slips into an American classroom without a fuss.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Grace of God
- Pronunciation: HAN-ee-el
- Popularity: Haniel ranked #4,302 in the U.S. in 2025 and has charted since 1989, with a best finish of #2,720 in 2018.
Heaven
Heaven is the address rather than the resident, the place scripture gives to God, the angels, and the saints. Naming a daughter for it is a bold move, and a hopeful one. Terrence Howard and Brooke Burke both chose it, which helped push it up the charts in the mid-2000s. It is quieter now than it was then, which may be exactly what makes it usable again.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: The dwelling place of God and the angels
- Pronunciation: HEH-vihn
- Popularity: Heaven ranked #543 in the U.S. in 2025, down from its 2005 peak of #245, and it has charted since 1971.
Hooriya
Hooriya is Arabic for angel, and the sound is as cheerful as the meaning, three syllables that lift at the end. It is a graceful way to honor Arabic heritage while giving a daughter something almost nobody else in her grade will have. The name suits a girl comfortable holding the room’s attention.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Angel
- Pronunciation: HOR-ee-ah
- Popularity: Hooriya ranked #13,843 in the U.S. in 2025; its best rank was #10,584 in 2024, and it first charted in 2006.
Ingram
Ingram means angel-raven, which sounds contradictory until you consider what ravens stand for: prophecy, insight, and a kind of intelligence people find slightly unnerving. It is far better known as a surname, so it arrives with that clipped, buttoned-up quality surname names have. Ingram Parsons, the American country rock musician, carried it well. This is a name for the boy who notices things before anyone else does.
- Origin: German
- Meaning: Angel-raven
- Pronunciation: IN-grahm
- Namesakes: Ingram Parsons, an American country rock musician.
- Popularity: Ingram last appeared in the U.S. data in 2024 at #9,337, a long fall from its 1917 peak of #2,230, though it has surfaced on and off since 1883.
Israfil
In Islamic belief, Israfil is the angel who will sound the trumpet that ends the world and begins what follows. That sounds grim until you remember the event is anticipated rather than feared in much religious writing. He is described as the oldest of the archangels, which lends the name a sense of standing outside time. For parents who want a name that means something enormous, this one qualifies.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Angel who will blow the trumpet
- Pronunciation: IZ-rah-fihl
- Popularity: Israfil last charted in the U.S. in 2023 at #9,244, its best and only notable showing, having first appeared in 2017.
Javan
Javan was one of Noah’s grandsons, and outside the flood narrative he serves as the patron angel of Greece. That makes it a natural for a family with Greek roots who want a biblical name that is not on every list. Javan Vidal, the English footballer, gives it a modern bearer. Two syllables, a soft opening, and none of the fuss a longer biblical name would bring.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Greece
- Pronunciation: JAY-van
- Namesakes: Javan Vidal, an English football player.
- Popularity: Javan ranked #3,988 in the U.S. in 2025 and has charted on and off since 1916, with a best finish of #1,116 in 2004.
Jophiel
Jophiel is the archangel of art, beauty, and intuition, and the name reads as God’s beauty. Paintings usually give the figure a flaming sword and a female presentation, so the name carries elegance and edge in the same breath. Jo and Fee are both gender-neutral short forms.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God’s beauty
- Pronunciation: JO-fee-el
- Popularity: Jophiel last charted in the U.S. in 2023 at #13,123, near its 2022 best of #10,300, having first appeared in 2014.
Kafziel
Kafziel is the angel of time and, in older writings, the governor of Saturn, the planet that rules Capricorn. That makes it a thoughtful choice for a December or January baby. The qualities attached to him are patience and fairness rather than force, which is a welcome change among names that mean speed of God.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Speed of God
- Pronunciation: KAF-zee-el
- Popularity: Kafziel has never reached the SSA’s five-birth publication line, so it carries no U.S. ranking.
Kamalani
Kamalani is Hawaiian for heavenly angel or angel child, which is a lot of affection packed into four syllables. It has the rolling, vowel-rich shape that makes Hawaiian names so easy to say and so hard to forget. Lani and Kami are both waiting when the full version feels formal.
- Origin: Hawaiian
- Meaning: Heavenly angel, angel child
- Pronunciation: KAH-mah-LAH-nee
- Popularity: Kamalani ranked #10,489 in the U.S. in 2025 and has charted since 1994, with a best finish of #5,396 in 1996.
Kannitha
Kannitha is Cambodian and means angels, plural, referring to an unseen host sent to protect and guide. That image of a whole company standing watch is unusual among angel names, which almost always point at one. The spelling looks harder than the pronunciation turns out to be. May yours always feel that well guarded.
- Origin: Cambodian, Sanskrit
- Meaning: Angels
- Pronunciation: KAN-ih-dah
- Popularity: Kannitha has no SSA record, so fewer than five U.S. babies a year receive it.
Kemuel
Kemuel is a variation on Camael and appears in the Bible as a tribal leader, which gives it a foot in two worlds at once. The name reads as helper of God, with raised by God as an alternate. Leaders in scripture are usually described as appointed rather than self-made, and the name carries that sense of being chosen for the job.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Helper of God
- Pronunciation: KEM-yoo-el
- Popularity: Kemuel ranked #3,999 in the U.S. in 2025 and has charted since 1970, with a best finish of #3,553 in 2017.
Lailah
Lailah means night, and in Jewish tradition the angel Lailah presides over conception and birth, watching over a soul on its way into the world. Some accounts place the same angel at the attack on Sodom in Genesis. The spelling options run from Laila to Layla, and each one shifts the sound a little. That flexibility is the practical case for it, and the lore is the romantic one.
- Origin: Arabic, Finnish, Scandinavian
- Meaning: Night
- Pronunciation: LAY-lah, LYE-lah
- Variations: Laila, Layla
- Popularity: Lailah ranked #1,602 in the U.S. in 2025, down from its 2010 peak of #651, and it has charted since 1981.
Lieke
Lieke is Dutch, and it carries the meaning angelic in a form English speakers rarely encounter. The pronunciation is the one thing to settle early, since both LEE-kuh and LYE-kuh get used. Lique and Lyke are the spelling variants. Lieke Klaus, the Dutch BMX racer, is the bearer sports fans may know. For an American family, it is about as unshared as a name gets.
- Origin: Dutch
- Meaning: Angelic, angel
- Pronunciation: LEE-kuh, LYE-kuh
- Variations: Lique, Lyke
- Namesakes: Lieke Klaus, a Dutch BMX racer.
- Popularity: Lieke has never met the SSA’s five-birth threshold, so no U.S. ranking exists for it.
Liesha
Liesha means beautiful angel, which is less a description than a standing compliment. Its resemblance to Lisa keeps it familiar to American ears even though almost nobody uses it. You can take the softer pronunciation or the sharper one, and the name works either way.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Beautiful angel
- Pronunciation: LEE-shah, LYE-shah
- Variations: Leesha
- Popularity: Liesha last appeared in the U.S. data in 2001 at #12,867, with a best showing of #6,902 in 1960.
Malachi
Malachi means messenger of God, and he is one of the twelve prophets of the Hebrew Bible, with a short book of his own at the very end of the Old Testament. That messenger role is why some readers class him with the angels rather than the prophets. Malachi Throne, the American actor from Star Trek, is the pop culture bearer. The name has been climbing for years and is at its highest point right now, which makes it a rare thing: biblical, familiar, and still on the way up.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Messenger of God, angel
- Pronunciation: MAL-uh-kye
- Namesakes: Malachi Throne, an American actor known for his role in Star Trek.
- Popularity: Malachi ranked #134 in the U.S. in 2025, the best rank it has ever held, after being in the data since 1880.
Malak
Malak is the Hebrew and Arabic word for a messenger of God, and it appears repeatedly in the Bible in the phrase for the Angel of Elohim. It is unisex on paper, though American parents use it more often for girls. Two blunt syllables give it a strength that longer angel names trade away.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Angel of God
- Pronunciation: MAL-ahk
- Popularity: Malak ranked #1,544 in the U.S. in 2025, near its 2011 best of #1,169, and it reads clearly as a Middle Eastern name in an American classroom.
Melaku
Melaku is Ethiopian for the angel, and it is one of very few angel names to come out of East Africa. There are no famous bearers, which leaves the field entirely to your son. Koo Koo is the nickname the family will land on eventually, whether you plan for it or not.
- Origin: Ethiopian
- Meaning: The angel
- Pronunciation: MEL-uh-KOO
- Popularity: Melaku appears in the U.S. data only once, in 1993 at #9,667, and has not charted since.
Metatron
Metatron ranks among the highest angels and holds the job of recording history, the celestial scribe. Jewish writings say Enoch became Metatron after leaving earth, which makes this the rare name with a transformation built into its story. It also sounds like something out of a robot cartoon, which is either a drawback or a boy’s dream name depending on who you ask. Meta and Tron both work, and one of them is going to stick.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: To change
- Pronunciation: MEH-tuh-trahn
- Popularity: Metatron has never reached the SSA’s five-birth line, so it carries no U.S. ranking.
Michael
Michael matters in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity alike, where he leads the angelic host and is charged with protecting Israel. The Book of Revelation has him fighting Satan, which is not a job description most nursery names carry. Michael Buble is the namesake parents hear on the radio in December. After nearly 150 years in the data it is still a top-25 name, which almost nothing else on this list can claim, and it has stayed devout and mainstream at once.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Who is like God
- Pronunciation: MYE-kuhl
- Namesakes: Michael Bublé, a chart-topping Canadian singer.
- Popularity: Michael ranked #21 in the U.S. in 2025, holds the #1 spot in the data for 1954, and has been in the data since 1880.
Michaela
Michaela is the feminine form of Michael and inherits every bit of the archangel’s standing. The spelling question is the real decision here, with Mikayla, Mikaela, and Michela all in circulation and none of them wrong. Michaela Conlin, the American actress from Bones, is one of many bearers in sport and television. It is a strong name that never sounds severe.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Who is like God
- Pronunciation: mih-KAY-lah, MYE-kuh-lah
- Variations: Mikayla, Mikaela, Michela
- Namesakes: Michaela Conlin, an American actress known for her role in Bones.
- Popularity: Michaela ranked #843 in the U.S. in 2025, well down from its 1997 peak of #100, and it has charted since 1921.
Michelangelo
Michelangelo folds two angelic names into one, Michael and Angelo, and means the messenger who is like God. The painter comes to mind first, which gives the name an artistic reputation it did not have to earn. Any 90s kid will think of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle instead, and honestly both associations are good ones. Michaelangelo is the alternate spelling. Five syllables is a commitment, but Mickey, Angelo, and Mike are all in there.
- Origin: Italian
- Meaning: The messenger who is like God
- Pronunciation: MYE-kuhl-AN-juh-loh
- Variations: Michaelangelo
- Namesakes: Michelangelo Antonioni, an Italian filmmaker known for his work in La Notte.
- Popularity: Michelangelo ranked #2,967 in the U.S. in 2025 and has charted on and off since 1961, with a best finish of #1,927 in 2015.
Mitra
Mitra means angel and also names the goddess of friendship, which is a combination worth having. Names drawn from deities tend to carry a bit of built-in confidence, and this one is no exception. It is short, easy to say, and almost never heard in an American classroom. A good fit for the girl who ends up at the center of every group.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Angel
- Pronunciation: MEE-trah
- Popularity: Mitra ranked #11,605 in the U.S. in 2025, a long way below its 1971 peak of #3,606, though it has surfaced in the data since 1961.
Muriel
Muriel is the angel of June, which makes it an easy pick for a baby born at the start of summer. It reads as of the bright sea, so the whole name points at water and warm months. It has slid a long way from its 1922 peak and has the slightly dusty charm that vintage names need before they return. Muriel Rukeyser, the American poet, is the bearer worth reading up on.
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: Of the bright sea
- Pronunciation: MYOO-ree-el
- Namesakes: Muriel Rukeyser, an American poet.
- Popularity: Muriel ranked #4,430 in the U.S. in 2025, far from its 1922 peak of #112, though it has charted since 1880.
Nakir
Nakir is not the gentlest name here. In Islamic belief, Nakir and his counterpart question the dead in the grave, and what happens next depends on the answers. That gives the name a serious, unsentimental weight that some parents will want and others will not. Set the meaning aside and you have two crisp syllables with a rebel’s edge.
- Origin: Arabic
- Meaning: Hateful
- Pronunciation: nuh-KEER
- Popularity: Nakir has no SSA record, so fewer than five U.S. babies a year are given it.
Neria
Neria is Hebrew for angel, with lamp of God as an alternate reading, so the whole name points toward light. Beyond the meaning and origin, its history is thin, which leaves plenty of room. Families who want a genuine Hebrew name without a famous bearer attached will find it here.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Angel
- Pronunciation: NEER-ee-ah
- Popularity: Neria ranked #14,440 in the U.S. in 2025; its best rank was #8,925 in 2013, having first charted in 2005.
Nitika
Nitika is the angel of precious stones, which is a strangely specific portfolio and a lovely one. New age practice holds that gemstones are a way to reach the angels, so the name sits at the middle of that idea rather than beside it. It is Hindi, three syllables, and easier to say than it looks. Tika is the short form.
- Origin: Hindi
- Meaning: Angel of precious stones
- Pronunciation: nih-TIH-kah
- Popularity: Nitika last appeared in the U.S. data in 2017 at #17,743, with a best showing of #6,199 in 1977.
Oriel
Oriel is the patron archangel of the earth, given the job of guarding the whole world, which is a large brief for a five-letter name. Some accounts place him at Jacob’s wrestling match and at Noah’s warning about the flood. Auriel is the fuller spelling if you want the extra vowel. It works for a son or a daughter and sounds equally settled either way.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Angel of destiny
- Pronunciation: OR-ee-el
- Variations: Auriel
- Popularity: Oriel ranked #4,349 in the U.S. in 2025, below its 2023 best of #3,535, and it has charted since 1984.
Orifel
Orifel is the archangel who looks backward, remembering what everyone else has forgotten. Naming a boy for the keeper of the past suits a family that cares about where it came from. The name itself reads as one who lets God lead every step. It is nostalgic and a little mysterious, which is a hard combination to find in three crisp syllables.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: My neck is God
- Pronunciation: OR-ee-fel
- Popularity: Orifel has never reached the SSA’s five-birth line, so it carries no U.S. ranking.
Parisa
Parisa sounds French to an American ear, but the Persian roots run deep. In the old stories the pari were angel-fairy hybrids with a decided taste for mischief, so this is not the docile pick it appears to be. Parisa, the Persian classical singer, is the bearer most often named. Consider it for the daughter who is going to keep you on your toes.
- Origin: Iranian, Persian
- Meaning: Angel, fairy
- Pronunciation: pah-REE-sah
- Namesakes: Parisa, a Persian classical musician.
- Popularity: Parisa ranked #4,845 in the U.S. in 2025 and has charted since 1971, with a best finish of #2,918 in 1991.
Rabia
Rabia means spring, and in some accounts she is one of the angels who accompanies the sun across the sky each day. That makes it a natural for a March or April baby, though nothing about it is seasonal in a limiting way. An alternate reading of fourth may appeal to a family already three children in. Bee is the short form nobody expects.
- Origin: Arabic, Spanish
- Meaning: Spring
- Pronunciation: RAH-bee-uh, rah-BEE-uh
- Popularity: Rabia ranked #11,689 in the U.S. in 2025, down from its 1997 best of #3,790, and it has charted since 1973.
Raguel
Raguel is the angel of justice, law, and unity, and the name reads as friend of God. Justice in the old texts includes the part where accounts get settled, so this is a firmer name than the meaning suggests. That combination, warmth and an unbending sense of fairness, describes plenty of good men. It is the right name for the boy who will referee every argument in the house.
- Origin: Israeli
- Meaning: Friend of God
- Pronunciation: rag-EHL
- Popularity: Raguel last appeared in the U.S. data in 1996 at #13,054, long after its 1968 peak of #3,273.
Ramiel
Ramiel is one of the seven archangels, and his particular assignment is hope, which is the gentlest job on the roster. He is also cast as a guide for anyone who thinks to ask. The name reads as thunder of God, so it is not all softness. Ray and Rami both work, and one of them will win.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Thunder of God
- Pronunciation: RAY-mee-el
- Popularity: Ramiel ranked #6,721 in the U.S. in 2025, well below its 2020 best of #4,993, and it first charted in 1994.
Raphael
Raphael means miraculous healing, and the biblical namesake is one of the seven archangels, associated with healing and, in some accounts, with announcing the day of judgment. Raphael Sanzio painted the cherubs everybody recognizes from greeting cards, which is why the name reads as artistic rather than fearsome. Rafael is the Spanish and Portuguese spelling. Raffy softens the whole thing for a toddler, and the name is at its American high point right now.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Miraculous healing
- Pronunciation: rah-FYE-el
- Variations: Rafael
- Namesakes: Raphael Sanzio, an Italian Renaissance artist.
- Popularity: Raphael ranked #394 in the U.S. in 2025, the best rank it has ever held, after charting on and off since 1882.
Raziel
Raziel keeps the secrets. Jewish writings place him beside God’s throne, recording what is said there, which makes him the archangel of hidden knowledge. The name reads as secret of God, and it has the rare quality of sounding both mystical and usable. For parents hunting rare spiritual names, this is the one worth remembering.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Secret of God
- Pronunciation: RAH-zee-el
- Popularity: Raziel ranked #2,138 in the U.S. in 2025, near its 2020 best of #1,919, and it has charted since 1982.
Rosangela
Rosangela joins rose and angel, and there is a hybrid flower carrying the same name. Roses stand for love, beauty, friendship, and passion, so the associations are all in the daughter’s favor. Rosangela Crespo, the Dominican Puerto Rican singer from Latin American Idol, is the modern bearer. Rosa and Angie are both hiding in there.
- Origin: Italian
- Meaning: Rose angel
- Pronunciation: ROHZ-an-juh-lah
- Namesakes: Rosangela Crespo, a Dominican Puerto-Rican singer from Latin American Idol.
- Popularity: Rosangela last charted in the U.S. in 2020 at #17,047, well below its 1980 peak of #2,240.
Sachiel
Sachiel guards those born under Sagittarius and, in older writings, presides over Thursday, which is a specific enough assignment to be charming. He is linked to Jupiter, the largest planet in the neighborhood, so the name reaches well past the horizon. It reads as covering of God, a promise of shelter. You will never see Thursday the same way.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Covering of God
- Pronunciation: SASH-ee-el
- Popularity: Sachiel last appeared in the U.S. data in 2008 at #14,224; its best rank was #10,250 in 1996.
Samael
Samael is not to be confused with Samuel, and the difference matters: this one is the accuser, the seducer, and the destroyer in various traditions. Even so, the same texts grant him honorable moments, and the name reads as venom of God, which is more complicated than simply bad. Parents drawn to names with some shadow in them will find this one of the boldest options on the list. It has been climbing since 1998, though it now sits below its 2022 peak.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Venom of God
- Pronunciation: SAM-eye-el
- Popularity: Samael ranked #3,366 in the U.S. in 2025, below its 2022 best of #2,317, and it has charted since 1998.
Sandalphon
Sandalphon is the patron angel of music, which makes this a fine pick for a household where something is always playing. The name reads as co-brother, and the tradition pairs him with Metatron. Elijah is said to have become Sandalphon after he was taken up, giving the name a sense of something that outlasts the ordinary. It is long, unmistakable, and unlike anything else in a kindergarten class.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Co-brother
- Pronunciation: SAN-dal-FAHN
- Popularity: Sandalphon has never met the SSA’s five-birth threshold, so no U.S. ranking exists for it.
Seraphina
Seraphina comes from the seraphim, the six-winged beings at the top of heaven’s hierarchy, and the name itself reads as fiery. That heat is what separates it from the softer angel names here. Jennifer Garner chose it for her daughter in 2009, and it has been climbing steadily since. Sera tones it down for anyone who finds four syllables a lot at bedtime.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Fiery, ardent
- Pronunciation: SAIR-uh-FEE-nah
- Namesakes: Seraphina Sforza, an Italian nun who was one step away from being a saint.
- Popularity: Seraphina ranked #600 in the U.S. in 2025, the best rank it has ever held, after first charting in 1916.
Siofra
In Irish folklore a siofra is a changeling, the fairy child left behind when the real baby is taken, which is a strange and wonderful thing to name a daughter. Alternate meanings include elf, so fantasy readers will feel at home. The spelling and the pronunciation are two different conversations, and you will have both. Anyone who wants a name with a genuine story attached will not do better.
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: Changeling, fairy
- Pronunciation: SHEE-frah
- Popularity: Siofra has no SSA record, so fewer than five U.S. babies a year receive it.
Tamera
Tamera means beloved angel, and it also carries the sense of a date palm, a tree that stands for new life and fertility. That double meaning suits the season a family is in when they need the name. Tamara is the fuller spelling. Tamera Mowry, the American actress from Sister, Sister, made it a household word in the 1990s, and vintage names have a way of coming back around.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Beloved angel
- Pronunciation: tuh-MAR-uh, TAM-er-ah
- Variations: Tamara
- Namesakes: Tamera Mowery, an American actress known for her role on Sister, Sister.
- Popularity: Tamera ranked #6,801 in the U.S. in 2025, a long fall from its 1959 peak of #381, though it has charted since 1940.
Tamiel
Tamiel is a fallen angel whose specialty is astronomy, which makes for an unusually beautiful backstory. The name reads as God is perfect, so the meaning pulls in the opposite direction from the lore, and that tension is the appeal. It has turned up in The Walking Dead and Supernatural, where the writers clearly went looking through the same old texts. A good fit for the boy who was written in the stars.
- Origin: Greek, Hebrew
- Meaning: God is perfect
- Pronunciation: tam-YELL
- Popularity: Tamiel has never reached the SSA’s five-birth line, so it carries no U.S. ranking.
Tangie
Tangie blends Tammy and Angela into something that sounds like a nickname and works as a full name. In Scottish folklore, a tangie is a shapeshifting sea creature with a taste for frightening people, which is a fun secret to keep in your back pocket. Tangie Ambrose, the American actress from In Plain Sight, is the bearer to point at. Sweet on the surface, a little sly underneath.
- Origin: American
- Meaning: Angelic
- Pronunciation: TAN-gee
- Namesakes: Tangie Ambrose, an American actress known for her role in Plain Sight.
- Popularity: Tangie last appeared in the U.S. data in 2003 at #15,581, well below its 1966 peak of #1,618.
Tevy
Tevy is Cambodian for angel, and four-letter angel names are genuinely hard to find. It is brisk, easy to spell, and completely unfamiliar to most Americans, which is a rare combination. Vee is the short form, though the full name is already short.
- Origin: Cambodian
- Meaning: Angel
- Pronunciation: teh-VAY
- Namesakes: Tevy Poe, an American actress known for her role in Grace and Grit.
- Popularity: Tevy appears in the U.S. data only once, in 2008 at #17,322, and has not charted since.
Tien
Tien describes an ethereal being in Vietnamese folklore, the fairy or angel who turns up in the old tales. Popular in Vietnam and China, its bearers include athletes and politicians, among them the actor Tien Feng. Alternate readings include immortal, which is a fine thing to wish on a child. It works as a surname too, though families here use it up front.
- Origin: Vietnamese
- Meaning: Fairy, angel, spirit
- Pronunciation: TEE-ehn
- Namesakes: Tien Feng, a Chinese actor who has appeared in hundreds of films, including ones with Bruce Lee.
- Popularity: Tien ranked #6,412 in the U.S. in 2025, down from its 1981 best of #2,329, and it is more familiar as an Asian boy name than an American one.
Upashruti
Upashruti means angel, and it is one of the most abstract names on this list, four syllables that most Americans will meet for the first time. An alternate reading of listening attentively is the trait every parent hopes for and few get. It has never crossed the SSA’s five-birth threshold, so a daughter would likely never meet another one.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Angel
- Pronunciation: OO-pah-SHROO-tee
- Variations: Upasruti
- Popularity: Upashruti has never met the SSA’s five-birth cutoff, so no U.S. ranking exists for it.
Uriel
Uriel means God is my light, and the name has traditionally gone to boys born during Hanukkah, a custom worth continuing if it fits your family. He is one of the principal archangels in Christian tradition and is said to have guarded the gate of Eden. He is also the archangel of knowledge, which is a good omen for a curious kid. Uriel Shelach, the Israeli poet, gives it a literary bearer.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is my light
- Pronunciation: YOO-ree-el
- Namesakes: Uriel Shelach, an Israeli poet and activist.
- Popularity: Uriel ranked #446 in the U.S. in 2025, near its 2008 best of #386, and it has charted on and off since 1913.
Zaden
Zaden is the edgier cousin of Kaden, and in Georgian mythology the word stood for a deity, an angel, or a god depending on the telling. Alternate readings include gift of God, which most parents will find hard to argue with. The Z opening does the work that makes a modern name feel modern.
- Origin: Dutch, Arabic, Georgian
- Meaning: God, divinity, angel
- Pronunciation: ZAY-den
- Popularity: Zaden ranked #2,569 in the U.S. in 2025, down from its 2012 best of #1,089, and it first charted in 1999.
Zadkiel
Zadkiel is the angel who stops Abraham’s knife in Genesis, and mercy is his entire specialty. The name reads as God is my righteousness, and families attach it to reconciliation, unity, and provision. That makes it one of the warmest options here despite how commanding it sounds. The name carries an edge on paper that the meaning quietly undercuts.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is my righteousness
- Pronunciation: ZAD-kee-el
- Popularity: Zadkiel ranked #3,750 in the U.S. in 2025, below its 2024 best of #2,594, and it first charted in 2003.
Zerachiel
The Book of Enoch lists Zerachiel among the angels who judge mortals, which is a serious job for a serious-sounding name. It reads as God has remembered, with command of God as an alternate. Zachariel is the variant spelling. Parents who want something that sounds like it belongs at the head of a table will like this one.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God has remembered
- Pronunciation: ZUR-ah-kee-el
- Variations: Zachariel
- Popularity: Zerachiel has never reached the SSA’s five-birth line, so it carries no U.S. ranking.
Zuphlas
Zuphlas is the patron angel of trees, which is about as specific as an angel’s job gets and about as easy to love. Trees carry the meanings you would want for a son anyway: life, stability, and the ability to bend without breaking. It is a fitting pick for a spring baby or for a family that spends its weekends outdoors. Zoo is a cute nickname, and yes, people will ask.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Angel of trees
- Pronunciation: ZOO-flahs
- Popularity: Zuphlas has no SSA record, so fewer than five U.S. babies a year are given it.
