Daniel. Daniel is a masculine given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It means, God is my judge, and derives from two early biblical figures, primary among them Daniel from the Book of Daniel. It is a common given name for males, and is also used as a surname. It is also the basis for various derived given names and surnames. The name evolved into over 100 different spellings in countries around the world. Nicknames are common in both English and Hebrew; Dan may also be a complete given name rather than a nickname. The name Daniil is common in Russia. Feminine versions are prevalent as well. The Dutch names Daan and Daniel are also variations of Daniel. A related surname developed as a patronymic, Daniels. Other surnames derived from Daniel include McDaniel and Danielson. In the United States, the U.S. Social Security Administration reports that Daniel has peaked as the fifth most popular name for newborns in 1985, 1990, 2007, and 2008. The U.S. Census Bureau reported that in the 2000 census, Daniels was the 182nd most common surname in the U.S., while McDaniel was ranked at 323, and Daniel was ranked at 380. In 2016, Top 100 Baby Names in Canada ranked it at number 27.