Muriel

Muriel is a female first name that was adopted from English into German in the 20th century. Its roots lie in the Irish-Gaelic name Muirgel or Muirgheal.

What does the name Muriel mean?

The name Muriel has an interesting history that traces back to the arrival of William the Conqueror from Brittany to England. It can be derived from the Celtic terms muir, meaning 'the sea,' and geal, meaning 'bright,' 'light,' or 'shining.' Therefore, Muriel can be interpreted as 'the bright, shining sea' or 'the one from the shining lake.' In the English-speaking world, the name experienced a revival in the second half of the 19th century. Alternatives include Meriel, which is used for both girls and boys. However, in Brittany, Mériel is exclusively a boy's name. Other variants include Muireall, Murielle, Meryl, Muiriel, Murial, Myriel, and Myrielle. Merle is also considered a form of Muriel but has the French meaning 'blackbird' and is also used as a unisex name. Additionally, Muriel is also commonly used as a surname.

How do you pronounce Muriel?

The pronunciation of Muriel is fluid and can be perceived as two to three syllables. It is pronounced as 'Mu-ri-el' [myˈʁiːəl] or [ˈmjʊəriəl]. The combination of darker and lighter vowels gives the name vibrancy. The stressed middle syllable with a long 'i' creates a radiant sound, while the final 'l' produces a soft echo. Thus, Muriel presents itself as elegant, melodic, and feminine.

When is the name day of Muriel?

Muriel celebrates her name day on July 31 and September 12.

Popularity

In Germany, Muriel is among the cherished girl names. Currently, it ranks 2,358th on the list of the most common female first names. Its best placement was in 2002 when it reached 143rd place. In the last ten years, Muriel has been used as a first name about 130 times, placing it 2,132nd during that period. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 1,625th.

Nicknames & pet names

Mel / Mulls / Mumu / Mura / Muri / Murie / Muriela / Muriella / Murili / Murl / Murli / Murmel / Murmele / Mutja / Mü / Mümmel / Mür / Mürel / Mürre / Mürää / Müü / Schmümü

Similar first names

Famous people

• Chandler Muriel Bing (character from the sitcom Friends)
• Dame Muriel Spark, DBE (British author)
• Estelle Muriel Kerr (Cameroonian painter)
• Muriel Angelus (English actress)
• Muriel Barbery (French writer)
• Muriel Baumeister (actress)
• Muriel Beaumont (American actress)
• Muriel Box (1905–1991, British screenwriter and director)
• Muriel Brandt (artist from Ireland)
• Muriel Brunskill (English opera singer)
• Muriel Castanis (American sculptor)
• Muriel Catala (actress from France)
• Muriel Coleman (American designer)
• Muriel Coulin (French director)
• Muriel Dacq (Belgian singer)
• Muriel Denison (writer from Canada)
• Muriel Dickson (British singer)
• Muriel Draper (American writer)
• Muriel Evans (actress from America)
• Muriel Fahrion (illustrator from America)