Abel
Abel is a biblical first name which may derive from the Hebrew Hebel, itself derived from hevel, or from the Assyrian for son. In reference to the biblical story, Abel is usually linked with his brother who killed him, as in Cain and Abel.
Meaning & Origin of Abel
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Abel is a biblical first name which may derive from the Hebrew Hebel, itself derived from hevel, or from the Assyrian for son. In reference to the biblical story, Abel is usually linked with his brother who killed him, as in Cain and Abel.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Abel
Abel first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2015, when 3,244 Abels were born — ranking #124 that year. As of 2026, Abel ranks #240 for baby boys with 1,476 births, falling sharply (-32%). In total, more than 68K Abels have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Abel
Phonetically similar names — useful when Abel 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 Abel
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About the name Abel
Abel is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 68K births in the dataset. Abel's peak popularity came in 2015 when it ranked #124. Use the chart and map above to compare Abel's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2015 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "A" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.