The baby name Castiel debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2013, fueled by pop culture and an on-trend sound.
Thanks to Megan for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
WHAT DOES THE NAME CASTIEL MEAN?
The baby name Castiel was virtually unknown prior to the 21st century – at least as a given name.
It’s almost certainly a cousin to Cassiel, another recent arrival. In Hebrew, Cassiel means something like “leap of God” or possibly “brought together by God.” The -el ending is familiar, shared by names from Elizabeth to Ezekiel. It’s the first syllable that’s open to debate.
Castiel also sounds a bit like castle, as well as castillo, the Spanish translation. However, there’s no connection.
ANGELOLOGY AND THE HEPTAMERON
Angels appear throughout the New Testament, often as messengers. Few are named.
If Castiel doesn’t appear in the Bible, where did the name come from?
Various religious texts and many philosophers and theologians have examined the idea of angels across the ages.
During the 13th century, St. Thomas Aquinas believed he’d been visited by angels. Some of his writings attempt to explain how these supernatural beings can interact with the human world.
The study of angels – sometimes called Angelology – has interested man for centuries. Medieval mystics in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faith traditions all had their ideas.
Pietro d’Abano, an Italian philosopher and contemporary of St. Thomas Aquinas, may have introduced the names Castiel and Cassiel.
The Heptameron is a medieval grimoire, a magical textbook containing instructions on which angels correspond to which days of the week. (The title comes from the Greek hepta, meaning seven, which was septem in Latin.) While it was published anonymously, d’Abano is generally considered the most likely author.
Castiel was associated with Thursday – a fact that would have an impact many centuries later.
CITY OF ANGELS
The baby name Cassiel appears in the US popularity data first. It debuted 1999 as a girl’s name. The gender leap makes sense, thanks to favorites like Cassandra and Cassidy, as well as Isabelle and Ariel.
Where did parents hear it?
1998 romantic drama City of Angels starred Nicolas Cage as an angel named Seth who falls in love with a mortal woman, played by Meg Ryan. (It’s set in Los Angeles – of course.)
Seth’s fellow angel? Cassiel, played by actor Andre Braugher.
The movie was a smash hit. It helped launched the baby name “Iris,” thanks to the Goo Goo Dolls song from the soundtrack.
Speaking of music, City of Angels was based on a German movie. The German version had a sequel called Faraway, So Close! that continued Cassiel’s story, and featured a Nick Cave composition called “Cassiel’s Song.”
The American remake left its mark on contemporary culture. In 1999, the baby name Cassiel debuted in the girls’ data.
SUPERNATURAL
It would take a television series to launch the baby name Castiel.
The CW’s Supernatural debuted way back in 2005, and chronicled the adventures of demon-hunting brothers Sam and Dean Winchester through 2020.
Castiel first appeared during season four in late 2008. He’s an Angel of the Lord, played by Misha Collins, and he’s there to bring one of the Winchester brothers back from the beyond. He becomes an important – and talented – ally.
This is not Highway to Heaven. Collins’ character can be dark. He’s also a fan favorite, a special guest who became a series regular. The names from the show are great, but Castiel is clearly the break-out star.
Back to that Heptameron for a minute. Series creator Eric Kripke thought it was the perfect name for the new character. Why? Castiel is associated with Thursdays, the day the show aired.
HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME CASTIEL?
The 2008 debut of the Supernatural character tracks closely with the name’s use. In 2009, thirteen boys were given the name.
By 2013, that number was 209 – enough to crack the US Top 1000. As of 2024, the name ranked #816 in the US.
As Supernatural has faded from our memory, the question is whether Castiel’s popularity would endure. The answer seems to be yes:
- We love New Testament names like Gabriel, a favorite that opened the door for the baby name Castiel in the first place.
- Other once obscure -iel ending favorites, like Adriel and Jaziel, are white hot, nearing Top 100 status.
- Names associated with spirituality, rather than religion, continue to appeal. In a Top 1000 with rising choices like Chosen and Creed, Castiel’s angel associations are a plus.
- It potentially shortens to Cas, a nickname in the key of Gus. But in our age of Sebastian and Elias, the name’s long, nickname-resistant style might be even more important.
POP CULTURE POSSIBILITY
We’ve borrowed countless names from television and movies. And in the 21st century, that includes names inspired by science fiction, fantasy, and supernatural drama. If Anakin or Khaleesi can be a mainstream child’s name, then why not Castiel?
Even as the series fades from prominence, the baby name Castiel continues to be used in steady numbers. In fact, it gained considerably in the rankings from 2023 to 2024.
That suggests that parents hear Castiel as a stylish, -iel ending possibility with the perfect mix of familiarity, meaning, and freshness, too.
What do you think of the baby name Castiel?
First published on April 26, 2016, this post was revised on October 28, 2025.
I like Cassiel a lot. Castiel makes me see Castile soap. And I would rather the obscure folklore than a direct Supernatural connection.
Love it. A lot. I think that Supernatural has enough of a niche audience that it still seems like a mainstream name. I mean, it’s not like “McDreamy” or something, in that most people have heard it somewhere — most people who don’t watch or know anything about Supernatural simply will not have heard the name Castiel.
I have actually met a little 5 month old Castiel. His parents called him Cas or very frequently Cassie. I love the nicknames and sound of Castiel, but the name is very tied to Supernatural to me, I prefer Caspian or Casper.