Avshalom
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "the father is peace".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Avshalom. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Avshalom today is around 43 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Avshalom births was 1981 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Avshalom. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Avshalom. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1981
5 babies that year
Average age
43
years old
1981 SSA rank
#6,362
Tracked since 1981
Popularity
Avshalom: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Avshalom by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Avshalom during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Avshalom
The name Avshalom originated from the Hebrew language and culture. Its earliest known appearance dates back to the 11th century BCE, stemming from the biblical figure of Absalom, the son of King David. The name is a compound of the Hebrew words "av" (father) and "shalom" (peace), literally meaning "father of peace."
In the biblical narrative found in the Second Book of Samuel, Absalom was renowned for his physical beauty and charisma. However, he led a rebellion against his father, King David, which ultimately led to his untimely death. This biblical account has made the name Avshalom significant in the Jewish tradition.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Avshalom was Avshalom ben Yizhak, a prominent Jewish scholar who lived in the 12th century CE in Spain. He was known for his contributions to the field of Hebrew grammar and linguistics.
During the Middle Ages, the name Avshalom was occasionally used among Jewish communities throughout Europe and the Middle East. One notable figure was Avshalom ben Meshullam, a 13th-century French Jewish scholar and author of several religious works.
In the 16th century, Avshalom ben Hayyim, an Italian Jewish rabbi and scholar, gained recognition for his expertise in Jewish law and his teachings on the Talmud.
Another prominent individual was Avshalom Eleazar ben Shlomo, a 17th-century Polish Jewish scholar and kabbalist, known for his insights into Jewish mysticism.
In more recent times, Avshalom Feinberg (1889-1917) was a prominent Russian-Israeli Hebrew writer and educator, who played a significant role in the revival of the Hebrew language and the establishment of modern Hebrew literature.
While the name Avshalom has its roots in the Hebrew tradition, it has been adopted and adapted by various cultures over time, particularly in the Middle East and among Jewish communities worldwide. Its biblical origins and connection to the tragic figure of Absalom have imbued the name with a sense of historical significance and cultural resonance.
People
Avshalom + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Avshalom as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Avshalom: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Avshalom?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Avshalom going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Avshalom a common name?
We classify Avshalom as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Avshalom most popular?
The single biggest year for Avshalom was 1981, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Avshalom is about 43 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Avshalom in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Avshalom a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Avshalom in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Avshalom still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Avshalom in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Avshalom can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Avshalom?
Find out how many people have the name Avshalom on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.