Uziel

Uziel is a masculine given name of Hebrew origin. It is often considered a variant of Uzziel (also spelled Uziel, Uzziel) and is commonly used in Israel and among Jewish communities. The name is generally interpreted as meaning "God is my strength," from Hebrew elements oz (strength) and el (God). Variants and transliterations include Uziel, Uzziel, and Uziel.

In the Hebrew Bible, Uziel (also rendered Uzziel) is the name of a son of Kohath, one of Levi’s descendants, making Uziel a namesake of a Levitical clan. The figure appears in biblical genealogies and is associated with the Levitical line from which certain priestly families traced their ancestry. The spelling and pronunciation vary across translations, but the attribution remains the same.

Notable people with the given name include Uziel Gal, an Israeli weapons designer credited with developing the Uzi submachine gun. The firearm’s name is derived from Gal’s given name, making Uziel the eponym for a widely recognized weapon. Beyond this, Uziel appears occasionally in contemporary usage as a first name in Israel and Jewish communities, with occasional instances as a surname in diverse contexts.

Overall, Uziel is a traditional Hebrew name rooted in biblical lineage, maintained in modern times through its cultural and historical associations and its most famous bearer, whose work Left a lasting imprint on 20th-century weapon design.