| Angel | Sebastián | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Angel, messenger | venerable, revered |
| Origin | Spanish | spanish |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | AHN-hel | seh-bah-stee-AHN |
| Syllables | 2 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1888 | 1881 |
| Peak year | 2006 (11,602) | 2016 (10,309) |
| In 2025 | 4,757 | 8,605 |
| Trend | Declining | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Angel | Sebastián |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 28,990 | 53,454 |
| 2010s | 62,959 | 86,688 |
| 2000s | 94,334 | 53,866 |
| 1990s | 36,990 | 14,599 |
| 1980s | 15,798 | 2,839 |
| 1970s | 11,178 | 1,413 |
| 1960s | 7,404 | 1,113 |
| 1950s | 4,224 | 500 |
| 1940s | 1,377 | 574 |
| 1930s | 1,088 | 774 |
| 1920s | 1,089 | 1,231 |
| 1910s | 391 | 838 |
| 1900s | 34 | 89 |
| 1890s | 22 | 43 |
| 1880s | 8 | 34 |
Angel comes from the Greek angelos, “messenger,” and the Latin angelus. It is common for boys in Spanish-speaking cultures (Ángel) and used for girls in English.
The Spanish form of Sebastian, from the Latin Sebastianus 'from the city of Sebaste', whose name derives from the Greek sebastos 'venerable, revered' (the Greek equivalent of the imperial title Augustus). Borne by the early Christian martyr Saint Sebastian.
Sebastián is more popular than Angel today: about 8,605 US babies were given the name Sebastián in 2025, compared with 4,757 named Angel.
Angel means Angel, messenger (Spanish origin), while Sebastián means venerable, revered (spanish origin).
In US records, Angel first appears in 1888 and Sebastián in 1881, so Sebastián has the longer recorded history.