Mariel is of Spanish origin, derived from the word 'mar' meaning sea. It is composed of two elements: 'Maria', which is a Latinized form of Hebrew 'Miriam', and 'el', meaning 'dedicated to'. Thus, Mariel translates to 'dedicated to Mary'. This name gained popularity in the United States during the 1970s, likely due to its use in various media. It peaked in usage during the late 1970s but has since declined slightly.
The name Mariel has seen its popularity fluctuate over the years with a notable peak in 1989 when there were 11 births that year. The most recent data shows that the name is still being chosen for newborns, with five births recorded in both 2013 and 2016. Overall, Mariel has been given to 116 babies since 1979.