Names That Mean Angel
The English word angel comes from the Greek angelos, “messenger,” and that single root sits behind dozens of names across Europe: Angela, Angelo, Angelika, Aniela, Anxo. Other cultures built their own versions — Arabic Malak, Swahili Malaika, Turkish Melek, Persian Fereshteh, Māori Anahera and Hawaiian Anela all translate as “angel.”
We’ve split more than 90 names into girls’ and boys’ lists, names meaning “messenger” or “bearer of good news,” and the names of angels themselves, which usually carry a meaning about God rather than the word “angel.” For deeper dives, see our lists of angel names and archangel names, or head back to all name meanings.
Girl names that mean angel
The Latin Angela and its many offshoots are the backbone of this list, but some of the prettiest options come from outside Europe.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Angela | Angel, messenger | Latin / Greek |
| Angelina | Little angel | Italian / Latin |
| Angelica | Angelic | Latin |
| Angelique | Angelic | French |
| Angèle | Angel | French |
| Angeline | Little angel | French / English |
| Angelia | Angel (English elaboration of Angela) | English |
| Angelika | Angelic | German / Scandinavian |
| Angelita | Little angel | Spanish |
| Ángeles | Angels (from Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles) | Spanish |
| Angelines | Diminutive of Ángeles, “angels” | Spanish |
| Angiolina | Little angel (old Tuscan form) | Italian |
| Angeliki | Angelic | Greek |
| Angelė | Angel | Lithuanian |
| Aniela | Angel | Polish |
| Anielka | Little angel | Polish |
| Anděla | Angel | Czech |
| Anđela | Angel | Serbian / Croatian |
| Angyalka | Little angel | Hungarian |
| Anzhelika | Angelic (Анжелика) | Russian |
| Angie | Short form of Angela, “angel” | English |
| Malak | Angel | Arabic |
| Malaika | Angels (from Arabic malā’ika) | Swahili |
| Melek | Angel | Turkish |
| Meleknur | Angel of light | Turkish |
| Fereshteh | Angel | Persian |
| Farishta | Angel | Urdu / Pashto |
| Anela | Angel (ʻānela) | Hawaiian |
| Anahera | Angel | Māori |
| Aingeal | Angel (pronounced AN-gel) | Irish |
| Arella | Possibly “angel, messenger” | Hebrew |
| Tenshi | Angel (天使) | Japanese |
Boy names that mean angel
Masculine forms tend to be short and strong. Malachi, “my messenger,” is the name of the last book of the Old Testament and one of the fastest-rising picks in the US. More ideas in our biblical boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Angelo | Angel, messenger | Italian |
| Angel | Angel | English / Spanish |
| Angelos | Angel, messenger | Greek |
| Angelino | Little angel | Italian |
| Angiolo | Angel (old Tuscan form) | Italian |
| Anxo | Angel | Galician |
| Ange | Angel | French |
| Anđelko | Little angel | Croatian / Serbian |
| Anghel | Angel | Romanian |
| Angelus | Angel; borne by the Carmelite St. Angelus | Late Latin |
| Engel | Angel | German / Dutch |
| Malachi | My messenger, my angel | Hebrew |
| Malakai | Tongan and Fijian form of Malachi | Polynesian / Hebrew |
| Soroush | Obedience; the Zoroastrian messenger of Ahura Mazda | Persian |
| Cherubino | Little cherub | Italian |
Names that mean messenger or bringer of good news
Because “angel” literally means “messenger,” these names are close cousins. Evangeline comes from the Greek euangelion, “good news,” which contains the same angel- root.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Evangeline | Good news | Greek via French |
| Evangelina | Good news | Greek / Spanish |
| Evangelia | Good news | Greek |
| Evangelos | Bringer of good news | Greek |
| Vangelis | Good news (short form of Evangelos) | Greek |
| Vangie | Short form of Evangeline | English |
| Nunzio | Messenger, announcer (from Latin nuntius) | Italian |
| Nunzia | Messenger, announcer | Italian |
| Annunziata | Announced (honoring the Annunciation) | Italian |
| Rasul | Messenger | Arabic |
| Hermes | Messenger of the Greek gods; name origin uncertain | Greek |
| Iris | Rainbow; the messenger goddess of Olympus | Greek |
Names of angels and archangels
These are the names angels bear in Jewish, Christian and Islamic tradition. Most end in -el, Hebrew for “God,” so the meanings describe God rather than angels. See our archangel names for their roles, or our fallen angel names for darker figures.
| Name | Meaning | Tradition |
|---|---|---|
| Gabriel | God is my strength | Hebrew Bible, New Testament |
| Gabriella | God is my strength (feminine) | Italian form of Gabriel |
| Michael | Who is like God? | Hebrew Bible, New Testament |
| Michaela | Who is like God? (feminine) | Hebrew / Latin |
| Raphael | God heals | Book of Tobit |
| Raffaella | God heals (feminine) | Italian |
| Uriel | God is my light | 2 Esdras, Enoch |
| Ariel | Lion of God | Hebrew Bible; later angel lore |
| Azrael | Help of God; angel of death | Jewish and Islamic lore |
| Raguel | Friend of God | Book of Enoch |
| Remiel | Mercy of God | Book of Enoch |
| Sariel | Command of God | Book of Enoch |
| Jophiel | Beauty of God | Christian angelology |
| Zadkiel | Righteousness of God | Jewish angelology |
| Chamuel | He who sees God | Christian angelology |
| Haniel | Grace of God | Jewish angelology |
| Barachiel | Blessing of God | Eastern Orthodox tradition |
| Jeremiel | Mercy of God | 2 Esdras |
| Selaphiel | Prayer of God | Eastern Orthodox tradition |
| Cassiel | Speed of God (possibly) | Kabbalistic lore |
| Jibril | Arabic form of Gabriel | Quran |
| Mikail | Arabic form of Michael | Islamic tradition |
| Israfil | The angel who blows the trumpet | Islamic tradition |
Heavenly and seraphic names
Not literal translations of “angel,” but these names come straight from angelic imagery. For more, browse names that mean heaven.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Seraphina | From seraphim, “the burning ones” | Hebrew / Latin |
| Serafina | Fiery, seraphic | Italian / Spanish |
| Serafino | Seraphic | Italian |
| Seraphim | The burning ones; highest order of angels | Hebrew |
| Celeste | Heavenly | Latin |
| Celestine | Heavenly | Latin / French |
| Celestino | Heavenly | Italian / Spanish |
| Celestia | Heavenly | Latin |
How to choose an angel name
- Pick your angle. Decide whether you want a name that literally means “angel” (Angela, Malak), one that means “messenger” (Malachi, Evangeline), or the name of a specific angel (Gabriel, Uriel).
- Go international for something fresh. Aniela, Anela and Anahera feel new to American ears while keeping a clear meaning.
- Mind the nickname. Almost every Angel- name becomes “Angie” or “Ange”; Evangeline gives you Eva, Evie or Vangie.
- Pair it with a meaningful middle. Combine with a name from our names that mean blessed list for a double dose of meaning.
- Respect the religious weight. Archangel names are sacred to many families; that’s part of their appeal, but it’s worth being aware of.
Frequently asked questions
What name means “angel” in Hebrew?
The Hebrew word for angel is mal’akh, and the best-known name built on it is Malachi, “my messenger” or “my angel.” Arella is also often listed as meaning “angel,” though its origin is less certain.
What girl name means “little angel”?
Angelina, Angeline, Angelita, Anielka, Angyalka and Angiolina all mean “little angel” in different languages.
What is the Arabic name for angel?
Malak means “angel” in Arabic, and its plural, malā’ika, gave Swahili the lovely girls’ name Malaika.
Does Gabriel mean angel?
No. Gabriel is an angel’s name, but it means “God is my strength.” Likewise Michael means “Who is like God?” and Raphael means “God heals.”
Is Angel a boy or girl name?
Both. In Spanish-speaking countries Ángel is traditionally a boy’s name, while in English it’s used for both, often as a girl’s name.