Meanings
alternative Merrell · alternative Merril · alternative Merrill · alternative Murrell · alternative Murrill
- A female given name from Scottish Gaelic of mostly British usage.
Funny sort of name. Who would think of calling a little newborn baby Muriel?
1985, Anne Tyler, The Accidental Tourist, →ISBN, page 1981 more example
She was named Muriel — after the rather peculiar name of John's mother. Her own mother would have it so; only wishing out of her full heart, happy one! that there should be a slight alteration made in the second name. Therefore the baby was called Muriel Joy — Muriel Joy Halifax.
1857, Dinah Craik, chapter XXI, in John Halifax, Gentleman
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*ǵʰelh₃-“green, yellow”
- Proto-Celtic*gelos“yellow, white”
- Old Irishgel
- Proto-Indo-European*móri
- Proto-Celtic*mori
- Old Irishmuir
- Scottish GaelicMuireall
- EnglishMuriel
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Muireall, from muir (“sea”), from Old Irish muir, from Proto-Celtic *mori, from Proto-Indo-European *móri; + geal (“white, bright”), from Old Irish gel, from Proto-Celtic *gelos (“yellow, white”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰelh₃- (“green, yellow”).
More words from Scottish Gaelic, Old Irish, Proto-Celtic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic مُورِيَل, مُورِييَل
- مُورِيَل (mūriyal)female given name
- مُورِييَل (mūrīyal)female given name
Bulgarian Мюриъл, Мюриел
- Мюриъл (Mjuriăl)female given name
- Мюриел (Mjuriel)female given name
French Muriel, Murielle
- Murielfemale given name
- Muriellefemale given name
Hebrew מוּרִיֶּאל, מְיּוּרִיֶּאל
- מוּרִיֶּאל (Muriyél)female given name
- מְיּוּרִיֶּאל (Myuriyél)female given name
Hungarian Muriel
- Murielfemale given name
Irish Muirgeal, Muirgheal
- Muirgealfemale given name
- Muirghealfemale given name
Japanese ミュリエル
- ミュリエル (Myurieru)female given name
Persian موریل
- موریل (murial)female given name
Portuguese Muriel
- Murielfemale given name
Punjabi ਮਿਊਰੀਅਲ
- ਮਿਊਰੀਅਲ (miūrīala)female given name
Russian Мю́риэл, Ма́риэль
- Мю́риэл (Mjúriel)female given name
- Ма́риэль (Márielʹ)female given name
- Мюрие́ль (Mjurijélʹ)female given name
Scottish Gaelic Muireall, Muirgheal
- Muireallfemale given name
- Muirghealfemale given name
Ukrainian Мю́ріел
- Мю́ріел (Mjúriel)female given name
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
Muriel. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Muriel
“Muriel.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Muriel. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Muriel,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Muriel.
Source: Muriel on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.