Gabriela is a feminine given name of Latin origin, derived from the male name Gabriel. The name Gabriel has Hebrew origins and means "God is my strength." Therefore, Gabriela can be interpreted as "God is my strength" or "strong man of God."
The name Gabriela first appeared in the Middle Ages as a variant of Gabrielle, which was used as both a masculine and feminine name. However, it became more popularly used as a feminine name during the Renaissance period.
Gabriela has been worn by several notable figures throughout history. In literature, Gabriela Mistral was a Chilean poet who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1945. She was the first Latin American woman to receive this prestigious award. In sports, Gabriela Sabatini is an Argentine former tennis player who reached No. 3 in the world rankings and won multiple Grand Slam tournaments.
Today, Gabriela remains a popular choice for parents seeking a name that combines strength and elegance. It continues to be widely used throughout Latin America and has gained popularity in other parts of the world as well. Despite its historical roots, Gabriela still feels contemporary and unique.
"Gabriela experienced its peak popularity between 1986 and 1994 with consistently high numbers of births, notably reaching a high of 26 births annually from 1992 to 1994. However, it has since seen a decline in usage, with fewer than 12 births per year since 2006."