The biblical name Gabriel has a rich history and great significance. Its meaning in Hebrew is “God is my strength,” “God is my strong man,” or “hero of God,” signifying the enduring power of God. In Christian tradition, Gabriel is most known for being the archangel who revealed the divine conception of Jesus Christ to the Virgin Mary. This position made Gabriel well-known for being a messenger of excellent news.
Gabriel makes appearances outside of the New Testament, despite being honored as one of the two archangels specifically mentioned in the Bible (with Michael). He makes two appearances in the Old Testament book of Daniel to interpret Daniel’s visions about the future, showing his connection to humanity even before he visited Mary.
Although Gabriel is not mentioned in this account in the book of Luke, many consider him to be the angel who told Zechariah about the birth of John the Baptist in addition to his position in Christian tradition.Regardless of one’s religious or secular perspective, Gabriel’s name is heavy with mystery and history. Gabriel strikes a chord of mystery and wonder because of his limited appearances in the Bible, which leaves much to the imagination.
Origin: Gabriel is derived from two Hebrew words: el, which means “God,” and gever, which means “hero” or “strong man.” The biblical books of Daniel and Luke both mention the biblical angel Gabriel.
Gender: Although Gabriel is mostly a masculine name, there are plenty of feminine versions, such as Gabrielle, Gabriela, and Gabby.
Pronunciation: gayb-ree-uhl
Gabriel Name Popularity History
Since 1900, when it was ranked 564th, Gabriel has steadily gained popularity as a name for boys. Before its popularity started to increase in 1967, it remained in the 300th to 400th range. Gabriel entered the top 100 in 1976 and peaked at No. 21 in 2010.
Gabriel ranked 38th in 2020 and remained a popular name even in the 2010s. It’s interesting to see that girls began to have options for it in the 1980s, although it never rose above a peak of 782nd in 2000.
Name Gabriel Across Different Languages
The name Gabriel has a lengthy history and is recognized in many different languages and cultural contexts. Here are those variations:
- Cebrail: Turkish
- Dzhabrail: Chechen
- Gabriël: Dutch
- Gabriele: Italian
- Gabrielius: Lithuanian
- Gabrijel: Croatian
- Gavrel: Yiddish
- Gavrail: Bulgarian
- Gavriel: Hebrew
- Gavriil: Greek
- Gavrilo: Serbian
- Havryil: Ukranian
- Jabril, Jibril: Arabic
- Gavriil: Russian
Comparable Names
Other Biblical Boy Names:
- Aaron
- Benjamin
- Abraham
- Daniel
- Andrew
- Amos
- Joseph/Joses
- Lazarus
- Judah
- Michael
- John
- Asher
Other boy’s names that begin with G:
- Gaabriel
- Gaarwine
- Gabe
- Gabrijel
- Gabryjel
- Gacoki
- Gaddiel
- Garrett
- George
Popular Nicknames
Popular nicknames for Gabriel include:
Gabe: This one-word nickname conveys a sense of solidity and strength. It’s an ideal nickname option due to its simplicity and ease of spelling. Gabe is a fairly apparent nickname for Gabriel, so it would be easy for your child to switch between Gabe and Gabriel.
Gabi: The short form of Gabriel, which is most frequently used as a nickname in Spanish-speaking societies, has a carefree, kid-like vibe.
Name Gabriel (Jibrīl) in Islam
Pronunciation: Jib-ril
Angel Jibrīl
Jibrīl, also called the archangel Gabriel in Islam, is essential in conveying messages from God to prophets. Jibrīl is mentioned with Michael in the Quran. Muslims hold that during revelations, he made two appearances to Muhammad.
Similar to his role in Christianity, Jibrīl is reported to have communicated with several prophets before Islam. He told Mary about the birth of Jesus and Zachariah (Zakariyyā) about the birth of John (Yaḥyā). Jibrīl is also recognized for giving Muhammad important Islamic teachings and supporting him during conflicts.
Islam broadly acknowledges him as a divine messenger. He is regarded as a sacred character in Islamic tradition due to his appearances and deeds in Islamic writings
Is It OK to Give Your Child an Angel's Name?
Is it possible to give our infants angelic names like Jibril and Mikael? It is a debated topic. Scholars generally agree that names like Israfeel, Mikael, or Jibril can be given to males. Although some academics suggest avoiding it, they do not declare it to be prohibited; rather, they think it is preferable to stay away from it. Angel names are not allowed for girls. Why? because it mimics the claims made about angels by past unbelievers. They declared that the daughters of Allah are angels. Allah challenged them to prove that they had witnessed the creation of the angels. As a result, naming a woman Israfeel, Jibril, Mikael, or Malak is prohibited.
Famous Gabriels:
Gabriel Yared: French-Lebanese composer
Gabriel Iglesias: American comedian
Gabriel Landeskog: ice hockey professional
Gabby Gabreski: American-Polish professional pilot in the US Air Force
Prince Gabriel of Belgium: European prince
Famous Gabes:
Gabe Kaplan: American comedian, actor, and expert poker player
Gabriel Byrne: Irish actor
Gabe Saporta: American musician from Uruguay
Famous Gabis:
Gabi Demartino: YouTube Star
Gabi Butler: Cheerleader
Gabi Sklar: Pop Singer
