Gabriel Baby boy name meaning, origin, and popularity

Gabriel is a name of Hebrew origin that means "God is my strength" or "a hero of God." The name has significant meaning to those of the Christian faith because Gabriel is the angel in the Bible who tells Mary she will bear the son of God. Because of this, the name Gabriel is associated with being the bearer of good news.

This name is also important in the Muslim faith: Gabriel is an angel who visits Muhammad and inspires him to write the Quran. But plenty of non-religious parents appreciate the name, too. Regardless of your religious affiliation, Gabriel is a name with a long and rich history and profound meaning.

Gabriel is pronounced "gay-bree-uhl" and doesn't have common spelling variations in English. Its most common nickname is the short and sweet Gabe.

Gabriel is considered to be a masculine name, though there are several feminine variations, including Gabrielle and Gabriela. Gabriel is a name used around the world and has many variations in different languages, including Cebrail (Turkish) and Gabriele (Italian).

Gabriel was a fairly uncommon name in the 20th century, but it took off in the 2000s, soaring to the top 50 boy names on the Social Security Administration's list. It's stayed in the top 50 ever since.

BabyCenter parents also love the name, keeping it in the top 50 name choices for boys since 2019. (BabyCenter's ranking is based on data from hundreds of thousands of parents who share their baby's name with us.)

Gabriel is a strong name with deep historical roots, making it a solid choice for those in search of a name with significant meaning.