Danielle

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A feminine personal name of French origin meaning 'God is my judge'
2. A woman's given name derived from the Hebrew name Daniel, commonly used in English-speaking countries
3. A female forename of Hebrew derivation, popular in France and the English-speaking world

Etymology: "Danielle" is the French feminine form of "Daniel," which English borrowed as a personal name. The masculine "Daniel" comes from Hebrew "Daniyyel," meaning roughly "God is my judge," and the name reached English through the biblical prophet Daniel, whose story of surviving the lions' den made the name widely known across Christian Europe. The feminine ending is the French adaptation. French formed female versions of masculine given names by adding an "-elle" ending, so Daniel became Danielle much as Michel became Michelle. English speakers took the French form directly, which is why the name looks and sounds French even though its root is Hebrew.