Danyel

Meaning & origin

Danyel is a modern respelling of Daniel that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1964. Its peak popularity occurred in 1976, when it was given to 23 babies. Since 1987, usage has steadily declined, and it was given to fewer than five children per year as of 2025. The name was never recorded often enough to rank nationally or to have a one-in-N statistic. Danyel has been predominantly used as a masculine name, though it has occasionally been given to girls. The spelling reflects a common simplified pronunciation of Daniel, following a 20th-century trend of phonetic respellings. Despite its low frequency, Danyel has appeared in scattered states but never concentrated enough to form a top-state list.

Danyel is a phonetic variant of Daniel, derived from the Hebrew name Daniyyel, meaning 'God is my judge.' Daniel appears in the Old Testament as a prophet and in the Book of Daniel. The spelling Danyel emerged in English-speaking countries as a modern respelling that reflects the common pronunciation, gaining some usage in the mid-20th century.