For many new parents, their coming child is a gift from God or the heavens. There are plenty of obvious angelic names for boys and girls from scripture and different belief systems, but there are also uncommon heavenly names you could choose.
Names That Mean Angel
If you're looking for an angelic name for your baby, the easiest place to find inspiration is with names that literally mean "angel." Look for variants on the word or translations from different languages to get a more unique name for your little one. You could also simply use the name Angel for a girl or boy and look at all the variants of that name like Angelo and Angelina.
- Anahera (Feminine) - Maori word for "angel" pronounced aa-Naa-HHEH-Raa
- Deva (Feminine) - Celestial being in Buddhism and Hindi pronounced dey-vuh
- Engel (Masculine) - Originally associated with a Germanic tribe this was later associated with the word for "angel"
- Fereshteh (Feminine) - Persian word for "angel" pronounced f-eh-r-eh-sh-T-eh
- Gotzon (Masculine) - Basque word for "angel" pronounced GAATSihN
- Malak (Gender neutral) - Arabic word for "angel" pronounced ma-LAK
Names of Angels
From the Bible to New Age angel lore, there are dozens of angels recognized in different belief systems. Some would argue that angels didn't actually have assigned genders since they weren't meant to reproduce like humans. Consider your belief system and your wishes for your baby then choose the angel who best fits those traits.
Male Angel Names
In many ancient texts, only a few male angels were named.
- Chamuel - He who sees God; one of the 7 biblical archangels
- Gabriel - God is my strength; archangel who announced Jesus' birth
- Michael - Who is like God; one of the 7 biblical archangels
- Mihangel - Angel who is like God; Welsh name for the archangel Michael
- Raphael - God has healed; one of the 7 biblical archangels
- Remial - Mercy of God; one of the 7 biblical archangels
- Uriel - God is my light; Hebrew archangel who warns Noah of the coming flood
Female Angel Names
Today, many people imagine angels as women even though they were more often portrayed as male in ancient history.
- Anaita -Angel; one of the highest-ranked angels in Zoroastrianism
- Barbelo - Mighty through God; angel of goodness from popular angel lore
- Dina - Judged; said to be the angel who taught humans to speak
- Eloa - She who questions; said to be an angel born from the tear of Jesus
- Jophiel - Beauty of God; angel who drove Adam and Eve out of Eden
- Muriel - Bright sea; angel residing over the astrological sign Cancer
Gender Neutral Angel Names
Some angels are depicted as an androgynous or their names have changed popularity between genders over time.
- Ariel - Lion/lioness of God; one of the 7 biblical archangels
- Cassiel - Speed of God; one of the 7 biblical archangels
- Malaika - Angel; in Islam is responsible for carrying messages to Allah/God
- Sariel - Command of God; one of the 7 biblical archangels
- Seraphim - Ones that burn; closest in rank to God
Names Associated With the Heavens
Angels are often thought to reside in heaven, so a heavenly name might be another avenue to explore. Think of terms associated with angels, heaven, or that mean heavenly to use as your baby's name.
Heavenly Names for Boys
Heaven is called by different names in different cultures and many of these names have a masculine feel.
- Agelos - Greek name meaning "messenger"
- Celio - Italian and Spanish word for heaven
- Haniel - Hebrew name meaning "the gift of God"
- Nathaniel - "Gift from heaven" in Greek
- Osca - "Heavenly combatant for God" in Scandinavian
- Riyon - Indian name meaning "immense beauty of heaven" pronounced ree yon
- Saint - French version of the Latin word for "holy"
- Zion - Place where God lives or "highest point" in Hebrew
Heavenly Names for Girls
Words associated with heaven often take on a feminine sound.
- Celeste - French form of the Latin for "the one born in heaven like an angel"
- Ĉiela - Esperanto word for "heavenly" pronounced chee-E-la
- Diana - Derived from Indo-European roots it means "heavenly"
- Divine - Derived from Hebrew for "Beloved"
- Heavenly - Word name meaning the place where God and angels live
- Mercy - English word meaning "compassion"
- Nevaeh - The word "heaven" spelled backward; pronounced nuh vAI uh
- Ourania - "Heavenly" in Greek pronounced oo raa nEE aa
- Serene - Latin word meaning "tranquil"
Gender Neutral Heavenly Names
In some cultures, words associated with heaven aren't decidedly masculine or feminine.
- Akachi - Igbo, Western African name meaning "the hand of God" pronounced aa kaa chee
- Cherub - To be near; a high-ranking order of angels
- Elysium - Place where God lives
- Ethereal - light, airy, heavenly
- Halo - Luminous gold disk; associated as headpiece worn by angels
- Kamalani - "Heavenly child" in Hawaiian; pronounced ka ma ˈla ni
- Leilani - "Heavenly flowers" in Hawaiian; pronounced Lay-lah-nee
Names With Spiritual Meaning
In some cultures and belief systems, the translation of an angel is a spirit. If you're looking for a strong boy name or meaningful girl name that is spiritual rather than heavenly, these are great options.
- Imamu (Masculine) - Swahili for "spiritual leader" pronounced I-mamu
- Isrāfīl (Masculine) - Islamic archangel who blows the trumpet to announce the Day of Resurrection; pronounced Iz ruh fl
- Kachina (Gender neutral) - Pueblo name for a group of over 500 divine spirits pronounced kuh-chee-nuh
- Moroni (Gender neutral) - Angel from Mormon teachings pronounced mō-rō´nī
- Spirit (Gender neutral) - Life principle in humans infused by a deity
- Tien (Feminine) - Vietnamese name meaning "angel, fairy, or spirit" pronounced tiən
Dark Angel Names
The Bible describes fallen angels and throughout history, some angels and heavenly figures have reached evil status. For some, dark angels are great inspiration for gothic baby names while others look to them as a true representation of mankind who has both good and bad inside.
- Abaddon (Masculine) - Hebrew name of an angel who appears to be a ruler of evil spirits; in Greek his name is Apollyon
- Azrael (Gender Neutral) - Whom God helps; one of the 7 biblical archangels often called "the angel of death"
- Daimones (Gender Neutral) - Greek word meaning "divine beings;" root of the word "demons" pronounced ˈdī-mə-ˌnēz
- Jinni (Gender Neutral) - Spirits in Arabic mythology who are below angels and demons and enjoy punishing humans
- Lucifer (Masculine) - Bearer of light; original name of a high angel who was cast down for his hunger for power
- Satan (Masculine) - Fallen angel
- Xaphania (Feminine) - Leader of the rebel angels in His Dark Materials trilogy pronounced Za- fan- ee- a
- Zera (Feminine) - Crazy homicidal angel character from the comic Spawn
A Heavenly Gift for Baby
Choosing a name for your child that is angelic reflects your love for their pure, good spirit. One of the best gifts you can give your child is a great start in life and that begins with their name. Whether you're looking at specific religions or pop culture, you can find angel and spiritual names all around you. Search websites like Nameberry and Behind the Name to find the meaning and history of the heavenly baby names you like best.
