Ariel
Ariel comes from the Hebrew "Ari" (lion) and "El" (God) — literally "lion of God." In the Hebrew Bible, Ariel is a name for Jerusalem itself (Ezekiel 43:15), and it is also the name of a spirit in Shakespeare's "The Tempest" (1611). The name was used for both men and women in Jewish tradition. In modern English, Ariel became a female name almost entirely because of Disney. "The Little Mermaid" (1989) featured Ariel as the red-haired mermaid princess, and the name rocketed from obscurity to #94 in the US by 1991. It peaked at #66 in 1995. Before the film, Ariel was a rare Jewish male name — a striking example of how popular culture can entirely redefine a name's gender. I find Ariel lovely, with its combination of lion-strength and the soft "-el" ending. The Hebrew meaning (lion of God) is more interesting than the Disney mermaid association, but the film gave the name a permanent cultural anchor. The male form is still used in Israel and in Orthodox Jewish communities. Ariel is a unisex name of Hebrew origin that means "Lion of God". Imaginative, fierce, and gentle at once. The name sounds like it has depths. Ariels tend to be quietly strong. US peaked #66 in 1995 (girls). Declining. Well-known people named Ariel include Ariel (Disney mermaid), Ariel Sharon (Israeli PM, male), Ariel Levy (writer), Ariel Durant (writer). Common variations and related forms of Ariel include Arielle (French feminine), Ariel (Hebrew), Ariella (elaborated), Ari (short form).