Ariel is a distinctive choice, ranked #885 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Ariel in their class.
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UK Rank 2024
#885
US Rank #299
About the Name Ariel
Ariel has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 175 places in five years. It was most popular in 2020 at #710 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Ariel is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #299, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Ariel
Unlikely. With around 41 UK babies named Ariel per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Ariel in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Ariel has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 175 places in the last five years. Its peak was #710 in 2020. Choosing it now means he is likely to be among the last of his generation with this name.
Ariel is more popular in the US (#299) than in the UK (#885). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Ariel include: Ariel Donoghue — Ariel Joy Donoghue is an Australian actress who is best known for her work in Blueback, Wolf Like Me, and Trap.; Ariel Tatum — Areil Putri Tari, known professionally as Ariel Tatum, is an Indonesian actress, model, and singer.; Ariel (poem) — "Ariel" is a poem written by the American poet Sylvia Plath..
Ariel appears in the US top 500 at #299 in 2024 — moderately popular in America, though less so than in the UK.
41
UK babies named Ariel (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↓ 175 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Ariel
Likely around 1 other Ariel in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Ariel
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Ariel (Russian: Ариэль, romanized: Ariel) are a "VIA" (pop/rock) band based in Chelyabinsk, Russia. They were formed in 1967 and headed by Valery Yarushin.
"Ariel" is a poem written by the American poet Sylvia Plath. It was written on her thirtieth birthday, October 27, 1962, and published posthumously in the collection Ariel in 1965.
Ariel Teal Toombs is an American actress and professional wrestler, also known by the ring name Teal Piper. She is the daughter of the professional wrestler and actor Roddy Piper.
Ariel Fernandez is an Argentinian–American physical chemist and pharmaceutical researcher. In 2025, a judge determined that Fernandez had engaged in scientific misconduct, and upheld a proposal that he be barred from receiving federal research funding in the US for 15 years, accusations that Fernandez denies.
Ariel Bronz is a theatre creator, performance artist, poet, playwright, actor, and activist born in Ukraine, living in Tel Aviv. He is the author of more than 40 stage and site specific performances and is a recipient of the 2018 Rosenblum Prize for Performing Arts, despite the objections of the Israeli Minister of Culture.