Hello.
My sister is going to give birth to another baby boy soon and she chose the name “Ariel”, but her husband says that he might be bullied and teased at school because of this mermaid character. My other nieces are named Arwen, Amalthea and Alastor ( All A Names Yeah ) . I myself like this name because it was the name of our mom’s grandfather who she said was a lovable and strong man.
What do you think??
The other choice is Adriel btw.
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I actually prefer Ariel for a boy! But I think I’d go with Adriel because Ariel & Arwen are quite similar 
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[name_u]Ariel[/name_u] is so cool for a boy, but it may well be associated with the film. It could also be linked to [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m] and lions, and all round, I like it
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i love ariel for a boy! it has such a cool, graceful sound and is effortlessly beautiful. however, the “ar” beginnings of arwen and ariel could be a little matchy. if they’re too close, i think that adriel is a really good option. both of them are so lovely!
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I prefer [name_m]Adriel[/name_m]! I grew up so into The [name_m]Little[/name_m] Mermaid that I find the association with [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] hard to shake.
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I believe the original Hebrew name was used only as a male name, and [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] is used exclusivey as a male name in many countries, so there’s definitely a precedent for [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] as a male name (I’m in latin [name_u]America[/name_u] and it’s a boy’s name here). [name_u]Ari[/name_u] is a nice gender neutral nickname option too.
To me, the mermaid pronunciation (ehr- ree-al) leans more female, but the international pronunciation is gender neutral (a-ree-ehl).
That said, I have an [name_f]Ariela[/name_f] (we chose that over [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] because [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] is more of boy’s name here and because I didn’t like the mermaid pronunciation), and I’ve seen first hand how unfamiliar people in the US are with the name outside of the mermaid context. [name_m]Adriel[/name_m] might be a safer bet.
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Been watching [name_m]Phillip[/name_m] Pullman’s His [name_u]Dark[/name_u] Materials on BBC (based on books)
[name_u]Love[/name_u] the name of one of the main characters - [name_m]Asriel[/name_m].
It’s similar to [name_u]Ariel[/name_u].
I get the appeal it’s a lovely name, although I do associate [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] with The [name_m]Little[/name_m] Mermaid
I think this would depend a lot on where they live in the US. Are they in a diverse area with a lot of international names? [name_u]Or[/name_u] are they in a more homogenous suburb?
If little [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] was in a bigger city, I think it would be easier to wear. If he’s in an area where the main association would be “little Mermaid” I would feel more hesitant.
If her heart’s set on it even if they’re in a less diverse area, I think committing to [name_u]Ari[/name_u] as a nickname would help, though. And a breezy “It’s a family name!” can go a long way.
One of your nieces is my name twin! I’d go with [name_m]Adriel[/name_m] because [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] and [name_f]Arwen[/name_f] are pretty similar. As an [name_f]Arwen[/name_f] who sometimes goes by [name_u]Ari[/name_u], I think they’re too close. I prefer [name_m]Adriel[/name_m] because it has more of a fantasy feel that fits in with the other kid’s names. I’d go with [name_m]Adriel[/name_m] to avoid confusion because I wouldn’t want to be your sister saying “Ari, come downstairs!” and having two kids respond.
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The only [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] I have ever met was a boy, I knew him when he was in primary school and he wasn’t teased for his name. [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] is a great choice for a boy!
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Same here.
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For me it depends on the pronunciation. For AR-ee-ehl (like [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] [name_f]Sharon[/name_f] - people who have any awareness of Israeli history will have heard of him), I would assume boy. For AIR-ee-uhl (the [name_f]Disney[/name_f] pronunciation) I would assume girl.
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The first one my sis chose to call him.
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Really? That’s good to hear. Tnx
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He’s gonna get teased mercilessly
I love [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] for a boy! I’ve known a few and they’ve never had any problems (it’s a normal name for boys in my language/culture (Spanish/Latino)). I love how it has a familial connection. Considering how society is now I think a boy named [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] would fit in just fine, especially cause it’s a completely normal boy name in other places
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[name_f]My[/name_f] l my experience in Midwest US is with [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] being a girls name. I prefer [name_m]Adriel[/name_m].
One of my sons is an [name_u]Ariel[/name_u] and I am really glad we went with it. When he was a baby we would introduce him as [name_u]Ari[/name_u] outside of synagogue or when not with family. But as he approached 2 I called him [name_u]Ari[/name_u] and he looked at me and said “Ariel” and I was like “Ok then!” It’s really grown on him well and I am proud of my choice. It’s a top 10 name for boys in [name_u]Israel[/name_u]. [name_f]My[/name_f] only consideration would be the Ar beginning like [name_f]Arwen[/name_f] as others have posted. I have an [name_u]Ezra[/name_u] too and am avoiding [name_f]Esther[/name_f] or [name_u]Esme[/name_u] for future daughters because of the similar sounds. [name_m]Adriel[/name_m] is also wonderful and [name_m]Azriel[/name_m] as well
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Oh forgot [name_m]Aviel[/name_m]