Abba
Abba is a form of ab, meaning "father" in many Semitic languages. It is used as a given name, but was also used as a title or honorific for religious scholars or leaders.
Meaning & Origin of Abba
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Abba is a form of ab, meaning "father" in many Semitic languages. It is used as a given name, but was also used as a title or honorific for religious scholars or leaders.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Abba
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Abba as a girl name dates back to 1924, when 6 babies received it. 1924 was its biggest year on record, with 6 newborns named Abba — #4,434 in the national rankings. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 55% of all recorded Abbas. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2023 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 11 Abbas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Abba first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1999, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2024: 11 births, good for #7,224 nationwide. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 50% of all recorded Abbas. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (11 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 80 Abbas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Abba
Phonetically similar names — useful when Abba is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Abba
What does the name Abba mean?
How popular is Abba in 2026?
When was Abba most popular?
In which U.S. states is Abba most popular?
Is Abba a unisex name?
What names go well with Abba?
About the name Abba
Abba is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1999 and has accumulated 80 births in the dataset. Abba's peak popularity came in 2024 when it ranked #7,224. Use the chart and map above to compare Abba's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2024 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "A" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.