Angel Name Meaning

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If you’re looking for a gender-neutral name with a biblical meaning, then the name Angel could be a wonderful choice for your baby. Angel, as a name, means messenger.

The name Angel comes from the Greek word for the heavenly being, Angelos, which means “messenger.” Angelus is the medieval Latin masculine name from which the name Angel was derived.

In the Bible, the name Angel is used to describe "God’s attendant" or "messenger of God." Angels are often depicted as guardians in human form with wings.

Origin The name Angel is of Greek origin meaning "messenger."
Gender A name like Angel is often seen as a gender-neutral name.
Pronunciation eyn-jul

Although many baby names are separated by gender, Verywell Family believes that sex does not need to play a role in your name selection process. It’s important to select a name that you feel suits your new baby the best.

How Popular Is the Name Angel?

Although Angel is a gender-neutral name, it is extremely popular in Spanish-speaking countries like Spain, Puerto Rico, and Chile. The Catalan word Àngel for the name Angel is also popular in Catalonia.

For boys, Angel entered the Top 1000 boy names in 1907. By 1948, the name was ranking in the Top 500 boy names in the U.S, and by the turn of the century, the name was one of the Top 100 names. Its most popular year was 2006 at No.30 and it currently sits at No.76.

As a girl name, Angel entered the Top 1000 only in 1956 and has been steadily growing in popularity. In 1972, it ranked in the Top 200 names and its most popular year was 2001, featured at No. 104. Although the name has fallen in ranks, in the last two decades, it is still on the list of the Top 500 names for girls. Currently, the name Angel ranks at No.440. However, other similar names, Angela and Angelina, are more popular than Angel.

Name Variations

The following are variations of the name Angel:

  • Aingeru (Basque) 
  • Anđelko (Serbian) 
  • Anđelko, Anđelo (Croatian) 
  • Ange, Angélique (French) 
  • Àngel (Catalan) 
  • Ángel, Angelino, Angelina, Angélica (Spanish)
  • Angela (Macedonian)
  • Angela, Angelia, Angelle (English) 
  • Ângelo, Angelino, Ângela, Angélica (Portuguese) 
  • Angelo, Angelino, Angiolo, Giotto, Lino, Angelica (Italian) 
  • Angelos (Greek) 
  • Angelus (Late Roman) 
  • Anghel (Romanian) 
  • Ànghelu (Sardinian) 
  • Angyal, Angyalka (Hungarian)
  • Anxo (Galician) 
  • Engel (German) 

Similar Names

Similar sounding names to Angel:

  • Arcangel
  • Arkangelo
  • Chrisangel
  • DeAngel
  • DeAngelo
  • Evangel
  • Joseangel
  • Mariangel
  • Maryangel
  • Michelangelo
  • Migelangel
  • Rangel
  • Rosangel

Other names that mean Angel:

  • Cael
  • Dina
  • Erelah
  • Evangelos
  • Gabriel
  • Haniel
  • Malach
  • Mariangela
  • Parisa
  • Raguel
  • Raphael

Common Nicknames

Here are some common nicknames for Angel:

  • Ange
  • Angelino
  • Angie 
  • Angu
  • Angy
  • Anny
  • Chelito
  • Chibi
  • Gel

Suggested Sibling Names

Looking for a sibling name for Adam? Here are some popular options:

  • Alexis
  • Anaita
  • Antonio
  • Celeste
  • Celio
  • Crystal
  • Divine
  • Jophiel
  • Malaika
  • Michael
  • Miguel
  • Mihangel
  • Muriel
  • Nathaniel

Famous People Named Angel

Some notable people who share the name Angel are:

  • Angel Tompkins, American film and television actress known for her role in the film "I Love My Wife" for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe
  • Angel Locsin, Filipina television and film actress known for her roles in the 2004 fantasy-themed television series "Mulawin" and in the TV-series "Lobo," for which she earned an International Emmy Award nomination
  • Angel Medina, American comic book artist known for his work for various comic book companies, including Megaton Comics, First Comics, Marvel Comics, and Image Comics
  • Angel Haze, an American rapper and singer best known for the 2012 EP titled “Reservation”
  • Angel Taveras, American lawyer and the 37th mayor of Providence, Rhode Island, from 2011 to 2015. He was the first Hispanic mayor of the city.
  • Angel Coulby, British actress best known for her role as Gwen in the TV series "Merlin" 

More Baby Names

Still searching for the perfect baby name? Check out these related baby name lists for even more options: 

1 Source
Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Social Security Administration. Popularity of the name Angel.

By Meena Azzollini
Meena Azzollini is a health and wellness content creator with experience covering parenting, women's health, and mental health. She specializes in creating effective content for various health and wellness-based businesses and empowers them with words that make a connection with their audience.