How to say it
a · ri · EL · la
ˌɛr.iˈɛl.ə
Feminine
Ariella
Lioness of God
What it means
Italian-feminine elaboration of the Hebrew Ariel ('lion of God'). Same root as Ariel and Arielle. Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989) gave the underlying Ariel mass English-language recognition; Ariella is the longer Italian feminine form.
Ariella is an Italian-feminine elaboration of the Hebrew Ariel (Ari'el, 'lion of God,' from ari 'lion' + el 'God'). Ariel appears in the Hebrew Bible as both a place name (a poetic name for Jerusalem in Isaiah 29) and a personal name. The English-language feminine adoption is largely due to Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989). Ariella adds the diminutive-feminine -a ending common in Italian and Romance languages. As a US given name Ariella is modern: rare before 2010, climbing since. It entered the US top 500 in 2020. Common short: Aria or Ella.
How to spell Ariella
The standard spelling is Ariella. Common variants include Arielle, Ariel, Ariella, but Ariella is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #154 in 2020, currently #174 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pronunciation
ar-ee-EL-uh, four syllables, stress on the third.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Ariel (The Little Mermaid) Disney's 1989 mermaid princess (the underlying Hebrew name)
Spelling variants
- Arielle
- Ariel
- Ariella
Names with the same feeling
See Ariella from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Ariella mean?
- Italian-feminine elaboration of the Hebrew Ariel ('lion of God'). Same root as Ariel and Arielle. Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989) gave the underlying Ariel mass English-language recognition; Ariella is the longer Italian feminine form.
- What does Ariella mean in Hebrew?
- In Hebrew, Ariella means "Lioness of God." Ariella is an Italian-feminine elaboration of the Hebrew Ariel (Ari'el, 'lion of God,' from ari 'lion' + el 'God'). Ariel appears in the Hebrew Bible as both a place name (a poetic name for Jerusalem in Isaiah 29) and a personal name. The English-language feminine adoption is largely due to Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989). Ariella adds the diminutive-feminine -a ending common in Italian and Romance languages. As a US given name Ariella is modern: rare before 2010, climbing since. It entered the US top 500 in 2020. Common short: Aria or Ella.
- How do you pronounce Ariella?
- Ariella is pronounced ˌɛr.iˈɛl.ə. Say it as a-ri-EL-la, with the stress on the "el" syllable.
- How do you spell Ariella?
- The standard spelling is Ariella. Common spelling variants include Arielle, Ariel, Ariella.
- Is Ariella a boy or girl name?
- Ariella is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Ariella?
- Ariella ranked #174 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.