Daniels

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A surname of English origin commonly used to identify individuals or families; a brand name associated with a well-known distillery producing whiskey; a plural form representing multiple persons named with that family name
2. A family name often used to denote lineage or heritage; a commercial label tied to a specific liquor producer famed worldwide; a collective term referring to several people bearing the same last name
3. A last name indicating descent from a common ancestor; a trademark for a distinctive alcoholic beverage manufacturer; the plural of a proper noun signifying more than one person sharing this surname

Etymology: "Daniels" is the plural of "Daniel," and as a surname it is a patronymic: "son of Daniel." The given name "Daniel" comes from Hebrew "Dani'el," meaning "God is my judge," built from "din" (judge) and "El" (God). The Hebrew name was taken into Latin as "Daniel" and reached English through the Bible, where Daniel is the prophet who survived the lions' den. English surnames ending in "-s" typically formed from the father's given name, so "Daniels" means someone who was the son of a man called Daniel. Such names were common across English-speaking countries, and the form with the -s is found especially in the United States and in parts of the British Isles.