Abel
From Hebrew Hevel, generally read as breath or vapour. Abel is the second son of Adam and Eve in Genesis.
Abel in 2025
Abel was given to 1,530 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 441st most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 2,167 babies born.
The history of Abel
Abel reached its highest point in 2015, when 3,255 babies were given the name, ranking 222nd that year.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 66,198 babies have been named Abel. Half of them were born before 2011, which places the name's centre of gravity with Generation Z.
Abel by decade
| Decade | Babies named Abel | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 107 | 976 |
| 1890s | 118 | 1,217 |
| 1900s | 121 | 1,427 |
| 1910s | 559 | 1,314 |
| 1920s | 881 | 1,290 |
| 1930s | 939 | 1,135 |
| 1940s | 1,225 | 1,151 |
| 1950s | 2,088 | 1,066 |
| 1960s | 2,665 | 1,010 |
| 1970s | 3,539 | 847 |
| 1980s | 4,773 | 801 |
| 1990s | 6,496 | 706 |
| 2000s | 8,380 | 672 |
| 2010s | 23,596 | 222 |
| 2020s | 10,711 | 321 |
Where Abel is heading
Abel has fallen 53% over the past decade, from 3,255 babies in 2015 to 1,530 in 2025.
Names like Abel
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Abel.