Find out how popular the first name Abel has been for the last 50 years (from 1975 to 2024) and learn more about the meaning and history.
A masculine given name derived from Hebrew meaning "breath" or "son".
Based on the last 50 years of data, Abel is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Abel being male.
For the most recent data in 2024, there were 1,627 male babies and 8 female babies born with the name Abel.
Yes—according to the SSA data, 8 baby girls were named Abel in 2024, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!
| Year | Male Count | Female Count |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,627 | 8 |
| 2023 | 1,648 | 5 |
| 2022 | 1,753 | 7 |
| 2021 | 1,944 | 12 |
| 2020 | 2,124 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2,463 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2,681 | 11 |
| 2017 | 2,709 | 0 |
| 2016 | 3,039 | 6 |
| 2015 | 3,241 | 10 |
| 2014 | 2,571 | 0 |
| 2013 | 2,236 | 7 |
| 2012 | 1,947 | 0 |
| 2011 | 1,508 | 8 |
| 2010 | 1,126 | 0 |
| 2009 | 964 | 5 |
| 2008 | 864 | 0 |
| 2007 | 940 | 0 |
| 2006 | 923 | 0 |
| 2005 | 855 | 0 |
| 2004 | 791 | 6 |
| 2003 | 755 | 5 |
| 2002 | 775 | 0 |
| 2001 | 733 | 0 |
| 2000 | 763 | 0 |
| 1999 | 711 | 0 |
| 1998 | 668 | 0 |
| 1997 | 718 | 0 |
| 1996 | 606 | 0 |
| 1995 | 717 | 0 |
| 1994 | 584 | 0 |
| 1993 | 620 | 5 |
| 1992 | 631 | 0 |
| 1991 | 623 | 0 |
| 1990 | 606 | 7 |
| 1989 | 542 | 8 |
| 1988 | 513 | 5 |
| 1987 | 457 | 5 |
| 1986 | 482 | 5 |
| 1985 | 461 | 0 |
| 1984 | 427 | 0 |
| 1983 | 426 | 9 |
| 1982 | 467 | 0 |
| 1981 | 479 | 6 |
| 1980 | 474 | 5 |
| 1979 | 428 | 6 |
| 1978 | 371 | 0 |
| 1977 | 347 | 0 |
| 1976 | 395 | 0 |
| 1975 | 382 | 5 |
The name Abel has its origins in the Hebrew language. It is derived from the Hebrew word "hevel" which means "breath" or "vapor". The name is believed to have originated in the Middle East region during ancient times.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Abel is found in the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible, where it is the name given to the second son of Adam and Eve. According to the biblical account, Abel was a shepherd who was killed by his brother Cain out of jealousy.
In the Christian tradition, Abel is regarded as the first martyr and a symbol of innocence and righteousness. The name has been popular among Christians throughout history, particularly in Europe and the Americas.
Some notable individuals named Abel throughout history include:
The name Abel has been used across various cultures and languages, with variations in spelling and pronunciation. In English, it is often spelled as "Abel" or "Abell". In Spanish, it is spelled "Abel" or "Abél". In French, it is spelled "Abel" or "Abèle". In German, it is spelled "Abel" or "Abell".
The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.
The history and meaning of the name Abel was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Abel, please contact us.
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