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Peniel as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Peniel

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The baby name Peniel is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced peh-NEE-el (pəˈniːəl).

Peniel is Hebrew in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 3.0
Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: peh-NEE-el (pəˈniːəl)

What is the meaning of the name Peniel ?

The baby name Peniel is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced peh-NEE-el (pəˈniːəl).

Peniel is Hebrew in Origin.

Peniel is a biblical Hebrew name from Penuel/Pniel, built from panim “face, presence” + El “God,” yielding “face of God” or “in the presence of God.” In Genesis 32:30, Jacob names the place Peniel after wrestling with a divine being, “for I have seen God face to face.” The name also appears for several men in 1 Chronicles, showing it functioned historically as a masculine given name as well as a toponym.

Through transmission into Greek and later languages, multiple forms emerged: Penuel and Peniel in English, Phanuel in the Septuagint and in Luke 2:36 (as the father of Anna), and Fanuel in Ethiopian and other African traditions. Puritans and later Protestant communities revived it as a given name; today it sees niche, often unisex, use in English-speaking and global Christian circles. Related variants include Pniel and the Spanish/Portuguese Peniel.

Peniel has the following similar or variant Names

Peniel – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
BI Boys 0 #44 1 917
CN 0 #86 1 3,857
BW Girls 0 #150 2 4,216
Sweden Girls 2019 #172 2 1,585
HU Boys 0 #174 1 3,954
BD 0 #241 1 5,992
AO Boys 0 #244 6 5,568
GH 0 #247 2 5,396
JP Girls 0 #251 1 6,592
NG 0 #271 2 5,926
Canada Girls 2024 #281 5 2,795
Canada Boys 2024 #302 5 2,588
GH Girls 0 #334 4 6,973
GH Boys 0 #336 10 8,138
SD Girls 0 #358 1 7,678
MU Boys 0 #369 1 8,477
France Boys 2019 #391 4 2,886
France Girls 2020 #392 3 3,215
PH Girls 0 #428 2 13,098
MX 0 #445 1 8,339
ZA 0 #472 3 14,421
AR Boys 0 #483 1 7,628
GT Boys 0 #498 2 7,625
PA Boys 0 #502 4 9,305
CR Boys 0 #507 4 10,188
PA Girls 0 #517 2 9,861
CM Girls 0 #531 10 11,671
CM Boys 0 #540 11 12,054
GT Girls 0 #541 1 7,500
HK Boys 0 #555 3 12,905
BH 0 #586 2 17,937
AE Girls 0 #597 1 20,968
BO Boys 0 #617 6 9,244
AR Girls 0 #630 1 8,289
BO Girls 0 #648 4 9,488
CL Boys 0 #695 6 13,390
NG Girls 0 #737 50 15,093
BR Boys 0 #780 6 12,213
KW Boys 0 #806 1 18,755
TN 0 #862 4 13,765
United States Boys 2024 #886 7 7,044
NG Boys 0 #899 53 16,906
United States Girls 2024 #906 11 8,487
CL Girls 0 #913 3 14,098
MX Boys 0 #969 14 16,355
CO Boys 0 #977 5 15,656
BR Girls 0 #990 3 12,708
PE Girls 0 #1,009 2 14,861
SA Girls 0 #1,014 1 25,931
IN Boys 0 #1,039 1 16,750
MY Girls 0 #1,072 1 24,821
ZA Girls 0 #1,132 10 25,928
AE Boys 0 #1,143 1 22,615
CO Girls 0 #1,152 1 16,140
ZA Boys 0 #1,158 21 25,619
MX Girls 0 #1,171 13 17,781
MY Boys 0 #1,182 1 25,439
MA 0 #1,198 2 20,986
TR 0 #1,254 1 19,440

Peniel is popular in 38 countries — most recent births per country:

United States
France
Canada
Sweden
AE

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People also ask about Peniel

Peniel is predominantly a boy's name.
Peniel is a 3 syllable name, pronounced peh-NEE-el (pəˈniːəl).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Penuel, Penu'el and Pnuel.
Across languages, Peniel has these equivalents: Phanuel (Greek form), Penuel (alternate transliteration).
Yes — Peniel ranked #172 in Sweden in 2019, and appears in official birth registries across 4 countries.
Peniel ranks highest in Sweden (#172 in 2019).
Peniel's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #885 in 2014 to #886 in 2024 in United States.