NameCensus.

UK name, mostly girls

Angel

A feminine given name of Greek origin meaning "messenger of God".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Angel is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Angel popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #460, with 90 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 527 births.

This profile covers 8,076 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 17% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 8,545 living people in the UK are called Angel. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Angel ranked #460 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 90 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2007, when 527 girls were registered as Angel.
  • Angel ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #391 in 2023.
  • About 8,545 living people in the UK are estimated to have Angel as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
  • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 95.1% of Angel registrations are for girls.

Latest rank (E&W)

#460

2024

Births in 2024

90

Latest year

Peak year

2007

527 births

Estimated living

8,545

2026

Gender

Boy and girl registrations for Angel

In England and Wales birth records, Angel has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 4.9% of registrations are for boys and 95.1% are for girls.

These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.

95% girls
Boys420 (4.9%)Girls8,076 (95.1%)

Angel registered for boys

  • Ranked #1,199 in 2024
  • 23 boys registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2023 (27 births)

Angel registered for girls

  • Ranked #460 in 2024
  • 90 girls registered in 2024
  • Peak: 2007 (527 births)

Meaning

What does Angel mean?

The name Angel has its origins in the Greek word "angelos," which means "messenger" or "envoy." It is derived from the verb "angello," meaning "to deliver a message" or "to announce." This name has been in use since ancient times and has strong ties to various religious and cultural traditions.

In the Judeo-Christian tradition, angels are understood as spiritual beings who serve as messengers and intermediaries between God and humanity. The name Angel was used to refer to these celestial messengers, and it gained widespread popularity across Europe and the Mediterranean region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Angel can be found in the Bible. In the Book of Revelation, the apostle John mentions an "angel of the church" in several passages, indicating the name's association with religious figures.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Angel. One of the most famous was Angel de la Guarda (1490-1557), a Spanish explorer and conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico in the early 16th century.

Another prominent figure was Angel Rama (1926-1983), a Uruguayan writer, literary critic, and cultural theorist who made significant contributions to the study of Latin American literature and culture.

In the realm of religion, Angel Oliva (1542-1608) was a Spanish priest and missionary who played a crucial role in the evangelization efforts in the Philippines during the 16th century.

Angel Ganivet (1865-1898) was a Spanish writer, essayist, and diplomat who is widely regarded as one of the forerunners of the Generation of '98, a influential literary movement in Spain.

Angel Calderon de la Barca (1600-1681) was a Spanish playwright, poet, and scholar who is considered one of the most prominent figures in the Spanish Golden Age of literature, alongside contemporaries like Lope de Vega and Pedro Calderón de la Barca.

The name Angel has maintained its popularity throughout history, crossing cultural and linguistic boundaries. Its association with celestial messengers and religious symbolism has contributed to its enduring appeal, making it a timeless and meaningful choice for parents seeking a name with depth and significance.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Angel over time

The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Angel in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Angel, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 90 births in 2024, compared with 527 at the peak.

Babies born per year

BoysGirls
0135270405540199620102024

Decades

Angel by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Angel was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #425 501 5
2010s #231 2,689 10
2000s #122 4,223 10
1990s #257 663 4

Geography

Where Angel is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Angel. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Angel ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #391 in 2023.

Scotland
6
Northern Ireland
3

Across the UK

Angel in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#476 in 2024

28 years of NRS records, 398 total registered

Northern Ireland (NISRA)

#391 in 2023

22 years of NISRA records, 119 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Angel

  • Angel Gomes

    association football player

    English association football player (born 2000)

    2000-

  • Angel Romaeo

    artistic gymnast

    Welsh artistic gymnast

    1997-

  • Angel Flukes

    singer

    British singer

    1988-

  • Angel Long

    pornographic actor; film director

    pornographic performer (b. 1980)

    1980-

  • Angel Coulby

    actor; singer; television actor; film actor

    English actress

    1980-

  • Angel Smith

    historian; hispanist

    1958-

  • Angel Blu

    singer

    British singer

Related

Names similar to Angel

FAQ

Angel: questions and answers

How popular is the name Angel in the UK right now?

In 2024, Angel was ranked #460 for girls in England and Wales, with 90 births registered.

When was Angel most popular?

The peak year on record was 2007, with 527 babies registered as Angel in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Angel?

A feminine given name of Greek origin meaning "messenger of God".

How many people are called Angel in the UK?

A total of 8,076 babies have been registered as Angel across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 398 more in Scotland and 119 in Northern Ireland.

Where is Angel most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Angel ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #391 in 2023. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.