Daniel
/D-AE-N-Y-AH-L/
God is my judge, the prophet who survived the lions' den — Daniel's faith was tested in the courts of Babylon, where he interpreted dreams, read writing on walls, and was thrown to lions for refusing to worship any king but God. His name carries absolute trust in divine justice, intellectual brilliance deployed in hostile territory, and the calm of a man who sleeps among predators because he knows whose hand holds the lock
Get Daniel's full report — patron saint, feast day & a portrait — freeQuick — what every Christian parent asks about Daniel:
How well does Daniel fit your family?
This page tells you what Daniel means. The app tells you whether it's right for your baby — scored against your family & your heritage, and your baby's birth details.
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Six signals — scored for your family & heritage, not in the abstract:
Meaning & origin
Yes — Daniel is a Christian boy name of Hebrew origin, meaning “God is my judge, the prophet who survived the lions' den — Daniel's faith was tested in the courts of Babylon, where he interpreted dreams, read writing on walls, and was thrown to lions for refusing to worship any king but God. His name carries absolute trust in divine justice, intellectual brilliance deployed in hostile territory, and the calm of a man who sleeps among predators because he knows whose hand holds the lock”. It also appears in Jewish tradition.
Daniel is a boy's name of Hebrew origin, traditionally used in Christian families. The name means "God is my judge, the prophet who survived the lions' den — Daniel's faith was tested in the courts of Babylon, where he interpreted dreams, read writing on walls, and was thrown to lions for refusing to worship any king but God. His name carries absolute trust in divine justice, intellectual brilliance deployed in hostile territory, and the calm of a man who sleeps among predators because he knows whose hand holds the lock" and belongs to the Divine cluster — names rooted in sacred meaning and spiritual tradition.
Beyond its Christian heritage, Daniel is also used in Jewish traditions, reflecting how this name has traveled across cultures.
Common among American, European, MiddleEastern, Israeli, Singaporean, Iranian families, Daniel carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.
The patron saint & feast day behind Daniel
Many Christian names carry a patron saint and a feast day (name day) — a tradition of choosing a name for the saint a child is born near, or one the family holds dear. Daniel lives in this tradition of meaning and heritage.
NameRoot connects the dots. See Daniel's patron saint, its feast day, and whether it aligns with your baby's birth — alongside its full family score.
See Daniel's saint & feast day →What does Daniel's numerology say?
Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Daniel resonates in either tradition.
Daniel's destiny number is 9 — but a number only matters in context. The app matches it to your family's own numbers for a real compatibility read. See Daniel's full reading →
Does Daniel go with your family's names?
Daniel breaks into 6 sounds: /D-AE-N-Y-AH-L/. The real test isn't how it sounds alone — it's how it sounds beside the names already in your family: yours, your partner's, and any brothers or sisters. NameRoot scores that harmony, so Daniel sits naturally next to a Mum and Dad like Michael & Anna, or a big sister named Gianna — no awkward clashes, no two names that blur together. Hear Daniel beside your family's names →
Nicknames
Common affectionate forms of Daniel — useful for everyday family conversation, early childhood, or as standalone given names themselves.
Names similar to Daniel
If Daniel resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.
From the same tradition
Other Christian boy names, common in American families
Sharing the same meaning
Other Christian boy names from the Divine cluster
Names that sound similar
Christian boy names that open with the same syllables as Daniel
Explore more names
Keep exploring names like Daniel — by tradition, by meaning, or by first letter.
Common questions about Daniel
What does the name Daniel mean?
Daniel means "God is my judge, the prophet who survived the lions' den — Daniel's faith was tested in the courts of Babylon, where he interpreted dreams, read writing on walls, and was thrown to lions for refusing to worship any king but God. His name carries absolute trust in divine justice, intellectual brilliance deployed in hostile territory, and the calm of a man who sleeps among predators because he knows whose hand holds the lock." It is a boy name of Hebrew origin, traditionally used in Christian families.
Is Daniel a boy or girl name?
Daniel is most commonly used as a boy name.
What is the origin of the name Daniel?
Daniel is of Hebrew origin, used in Christian, Jewish traditions, commonly among American, European, MiddleEastern families.
Is Daniel a Christian name?
Yes. Daniel is a boy name traditionally used in Christian families, of Hebrew origin. It also appears in Jewish tradition.
What does Daniel mean in Hebrew?
Daniel originates from Hebrew, where it means "God is my judge, the prophet who survived the lions' den — Daniel's faith was tested in the courts of Babylon, where he interpreted dreams, read writing on walls, and was thrown to lions for refusing to worship any king but God. His name carries absolute trust in divine justice, intellectual brilliance deployed in hostile territory, and the calm of a man who sleeps among predators because he knows whose hand holds the lock."
What are common nicknames for Daniel?
Common short forms of Daniel include Dan, Danny.
What is the numerology of Daniel?
Daniel has a Pythagorean destiny number of 9 — compassion and humanitarian service.
Is Daniel a saint's name?
Yes — Daniel is honoured as a Christian saint's name, linked to the patron saint of miners.
See how Daniel scores for your family
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