What Does the Name Lael Mean?
Lael is usually broken into two Hebrew pieces: the prefix ל (le), meaning "to" or "belonging to," and אל ('el), meaning "God." Put together, the name is generally read as "belonging to God" or "of God," though one older reference, Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names, proposes the related reading "by God."
The Origin & History of Lael
The name appears once in the Hebrew Bible: Lael was the father of Eliasaph, who led the Gershonite Levites at the time of the first census of Israel (Numbers 3:24). It's a minor, background figure rather than a famous one, which has left the name feeling fresh rather than overused despite its ancient roots.
Cultural Reach
Lael sits in the same family as other Hebrew "-el" names (God-rooted names like Ariel or Daniel), but its brevity and soft sound have made it attractive well outside religious naming traditions.
Personality & Traits
Short, calm, and quietly meaningful, Lael suggests steadiness without ever feeling heavy — a name that reads as gentle in either direction.
A Genuinely Unisex Name
Unlike many names that lean overwhelmingly to one gender, Lael is used in real, substantial numbers for both boys and girls in the US today, making it a rare case of a biblical name that stayed open rather than settling into one lane.
Famous People Named Lael
Lael Brainard is a prominent American economist who served as a Federal Reserve Governor from 2014 and as Vice Chair from 2022 to 2023, before becoming Director of the National Economic Council.
Popularity as a Given Name
SSA data shows 188 US births in 2024 (123 boys, 65 girls), up from 95 in 2023 — nearly double in a single year.