Azrael
Azrael was the 656th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 421 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,478 places. More babies were named Azrael in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Meaning angel of death (from Hebrew 'God has helped') · Hebrew, Greek, Latin
Say it AZ-ree-ul /ˈæzriəl/
- Rank in 2025
- #656 boys, up 272 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 421boys
- Girls and boys
- 6% girls, 94% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2025421 babies
- Total since 1880
- 3,549babies recorded
What does the name Azrael mean?
Azrael is the name given to the angel of death in Islamic and some Christian tradition, as Wiktionary notes. Wiktionary traces it through Latin Azrahel and Greek Azaraēl to Hebrew Azar'el, a biblical name built from azar, to help, and El, God: "God has helped." The related names Azariah and Azriel use the same root. US records show Azrael as a given name from 1994.
עֲזַרְאֵל (Biblical Hebrew, “Azarel”)עָזַר (Biblical Hebrew, “to help”)
How sure is this? Probable. The 'help' gloss comes from the shared root as given for Azariah; Wiktionary does not gloss Azrael directly.
Related names: Azriel, Azariah, Azarel.
See also: Hebrew names, names that mean God.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Azrael' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Azariah' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (yob*.txt), team3 computation of first year recorded, US Social Security Administration (public domain)
Azrael popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,587 | #656 | 22 | 421 |
| 2020 | #4,092 | #928 | 34 | 240 |
| 2010 | #10,550 | #3,247 | 10 | 34 |
| 2000 | — | #5,956 | — | 11 |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
How popular is Azrael, counting every spelling?
Azrael has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #643 for boys in 2025, against #656 on the official list.
How many kids will share the name Azrael?
421 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Azrael (0.12 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Azrael born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 20 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Azrael.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Azrael?
About 3,200 people born in the US named Azrael are alive today, with a median age of 5; half are between 3 and 8. That makes Azrael a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Azrael by state
How common Azrael was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Mexico (3.5×), Arizona (2.7×), Nevada (2.2×), Texas (2.0×), Colorado (1.6×). In 18 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Azrael: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Azrael, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Azrael · Sibling names for Azrael
Questions about the name Azrael
What does Azrael mean?
Azrael means “angel of death (from Hebrew 'God has helped')” (Hebrew, Greek, Latin origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Azrael?
Azrael was the 656th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 421 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,478 places. More babies were named Azrael in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Is Azrael a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 6% girls, 94% boys given the name Azrael in the US.
Where is Azrael most popular?
In 2021–2025, Azrael was most common in New Mexico (0.73 per 1,000 boys), followed by Arizona and Nevada.