Is Abel a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Abel is commonly used as a Boy name.

It’s currently ranked #209 in the U.S. Recent trend: Falling.

Abel Boy

Popularity: #209 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

PronunciationAY-buhl / /ˈeɪ.bəl/

Hebrew; Latin

Meaning

Hebrew: 'breath' or 'vapor'; Latin: 'noble'

Historical & Cultural Background

Abel is a name of Hebrew origin, derived from the biblical figure Abel, who was the second son of Adam and Eve. In the biblical narrative, Abel is known for being a shepherd and for his tragic fate at the hands of his brother Cain. The name has been used in various cultures and languages over centuries, often associated with themes of innocence and sacrifice. It has also been adopted in Latin contexts, where it carries connotations of nobility.

Trend Summary

Abel has seen a resurgence in popularity in the United States over the past decade.

Variants

Abelard
Abelino

International Variants

Abel (Spanish)
Abel (Portuguese)
Abel (French)
Abel (Dutch)

Famous people named Abel

Abel Tasman was a Dutch explorer known for being the first European to reach New Zealand and Tasmania.

Abel Ferrara is an American film director and screenwriter recognized for his work in independent cinema.

Abel Pacheco served as the President of Costa Rica from 2002 to 2006.

Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, known as The Weeknd, is a Canadian singer and songwriter acclaimed for his contributions to contemporary music.

Fictional characters named Abel

Abel is a character in the video game series 'Castlevania', known for his role as a vampire hunter.

Abel is a character in the animated series 'The Amazing World of Gumball', depicted as a schoolmate of the main characters.

Sibling Suggestions

Adam Eve Noah Isaac Jacob Levi Samuel

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Abel was first seen in the United States in 1880. Abel has ranked as high as #213 nationally, which occurred in 2015, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Illinois, Arizona, and New York. In the past 5 years the name Abel has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Abel (2024)

Year:

State	Births	Share
CA	272	18%
TX	250	16%
FL	78	5%
NC	64	4%
NY	63	4%
AZ	56	4%
OH	51	3%
GA	47	3%
IL	46	3%
TN	43	3%
WA	39	3%
MI	39	3%
MO	37	2%
PA	28	2%
IN	27	2%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1880	9
1881	12
1882	10
1883	12
1884	14
1885	6
1886	16
1887	11
1888	8
1889	9
1890	14
1891	10
1892	8
1893	13
1894	15
1895	6
1896	15
1897	12
1898	10
1899	15
1900	15
1901	13
1902	11
1903	14
1904	10
1905	6
1906	11
1907	10
1908	15
1909	16
1910	11
1911	30
1912	40
1913	48
1914	51
1915	64
1916	62
1917	86
1918	76
1919	91
1920	79
1921	84
1922	91
1923	73
1924	110
1925	83
1926	101
1927	79
1928	85
1929	96
1930	122
1931	93
1932	95
1933	96
1934	93
1935	92
1936	75
1937	91
1938	87
1939	95
1940	101
1941	121
1942	105
1943	92
1944	118
1945	113
1946	117
1947	146
1948	151
1949	161
1950	170
1951	183
1952	162
1953	217
1954	223
1955	215
1956	215
1957	236
1958	241
1959	226
1960	247
1961	281
1962	258
1963	272
1964	274
1965	282
1966	256
1967	251
1968	267
1969	277
1970	283
1971	310
1972	321
1973	360
1974	330
1975	382
1976	395
1977	347
1978	371
1979	428
1980	474
1981	479
1982	468
1983	426
1984	427
1985	461
1986	482
1987	458
1988	514
1989	541
1990	606
1991	623
1992	631
1993	620
1994	584
1995	717
1996	606
1997	718
1998	668
1999	711
2000	763
2001	733
2002	775
2003	755
2004	791
2005	855
2006	924
2007	940
2008	864
2009	964
2010	1,127
2011	1,508
2012	1,951
2013	2,238
2014	2,572
2015	3,244
2016	3,044
2017	2,712
2018	2,682
2019	2,467
2020	2,130
2021	1,954
2022	1,766
2023	1,653
2024	1,627