Abel
Meaning: not confirmed (origin debated)
About the name Abel
The origin of Abel is debated, and we couldn't confirm its meaning from a sourced etymology. A commonly cited theory links it to Hebrew roots, with the meaning “Breath”. Treat that as a theory, not a settled fact.
Why we say this: we only state a meaning as fact when a sourced etymology (Wiktionary, with its references) supports it. For Abel we didn't find one we were confident in, so we show the popular explanation as a theory.
It has a vintage, short & sweet feel. In 2025, Abel ranked #231 for boys in the US, with 1,525 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 2015. Since 2000, 100% of US babies named Abel were boys.
- US rank 2025
- #231
- In 2015
- #124
- Babies in 2025
- 1,525
Popularity of Abel, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
Nicknames for Abel
- Abe
Names similar to Abel
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.