Boy · #860 in 2026

Abner

Abner is a given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It is the name of Abner from the Bible, first cousin to King Saul and commander-in-chief of his army. In the United States, it was moderately popular as a given name, but declined in the first half of the 20th century, rarely being used for newborns after the 1930s. Other notable people with the name include:

  • English
  • Biblical
  • Biblical Latin
Current Rank
#860
Peak Rank
#289 (2024)
Total Babies
10K
5-Yr Trend
+24%
1880
First Year
2026
Last Year
2024
Peak Year
#289
Peak Rank
10K
Total Count
147
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Abner

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Abner is a given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It is the name of Abner from the Bible, first cousin to King Saul and commander-in-chief of his army. In the United States, it was moderately popular as a given name, but declined in the first half of the 20th century, rarely being used for newborns after the 1930s. Other notable people with the name include:

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • English
  • Biblical
  • Biblical Latin

The Story of Abner

Abner first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 27 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2024: 293 births, good for #837 nationwide. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #860 among baby boy names with 280 births, rising sharply (+24% over the past five years). In total, more than 10K Abners have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Where is Abner most common?

Predicted country distribution based on naming patterns globally.

  • NA
    51%
  • United States
    25%
  • China
    14%
  • RE
    6%
  • Brazil
    4%

Source: Nationalize.io . Probabilities are global naming-pattern estimates, not strict counts.

Names that sound like Abner

Phonetically similar names — useful when Abner 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 Abner

What does the name Abner mean?
Abner is a given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It is the name of Abner from the Bible, first cousin to King Saul and commander-in-chief of his army. In the United States, it was moderately popular as a given name, but declined in the first half of the 20th century, rarely being used for newborns after the 1930s. Other notable people with the name include:
What is the origin of the name Abner?
Abner has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English, Biblical, Biblical Latin.
How popular is Abner in 2026?
In 2026, Abner ranks #860 among boys' names in the U.S., with 280 babies given the name that year.
When was Abner most popular?
Abner reached its peak popularity in 2024, ranking #289 that year with 293 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Abner most popular?
Abner has historically been most popular in Puerto Rico, Minnesota, New York. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Abner.
Is Abner a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Abner is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.
What names go well with Abner?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Abner include Abram, Lucian, Salvador. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👦
Abram
Peak #289
👦
Lucian
Peak #289
👦
Salvador
Peak #289
👦
Hans
Peak #290
👦
Hollis
Peak #290
👦
Shepherd
Peak #290
👦
Claud
Peak #291
👦
Armand
Peak #291

About the name Abner

Abner is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 10K births in the dataset. Abner's peak popularity came in 2024 when it ranked #289. Use the chart and map above to compare Abner's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.