Abel
Say it: AY-bel/ˈeɪ.bl̩/
Boy4 letters2 syllables
#432
in Ireland (2025)
#418 with spellings combined
8
babies in 2025
#320
best rank (2022)
164
babies since 2001
Down 63
10-year rank change
Abel through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | #418 |
| 2024 | 10 | #360 |
| 2023 | 10 | #351 |
| 2022 | 13 | #320 |
| 2021 | 12 | #328 |
| 2020 | 5 | #528 |
| 2019 | 6 | #485 |
| 2018 | 4 | #597 |
| 2017 | 10 | #374 |
| 2016 | 4 | #601 |
| 2015 | 11 | #355 |
| 2014 | 12 | #347 |
| 2013 | 12 | #338 |
| 2012 | 6 | #500 |
| 2011 | 7 | #455 |
| 2010 | 7 | #448 |
| 2009 | 4 | #604 |
| 2008 | 4 | #601 |
| 2007 | 8 | #374 |
| 2006 | 3 | #595 |
| 2003 | 4 | #423 |
| 2001 | 4 | #347 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Abel mean?
Uncertain, perhaps "breath" or "son"
Hebrew, from Hevel, the name of the second son of Adam and Eve.
Say it right
AYbel
The story of Abel
Abel comes from the Hebrew Hevel, the name of the second son of Adam and Eve in the Book of Genesis. The meaning is not certain. It may be the same as the Hebrew word hevel, meaning breath or vapour, or it may come from an Akkadian word meaning son.
In the Bible, Abel was a shepherd whose offering pleased God, and his older brother Cain killed him out of jealousy. The pairing of Cain and Abel became a byword for rivalry between brothers. The name came into English through Greek and Latin, and it is also a surname.
Abel first appears in the CSO records in 2001. Its biggest year was 2022, with 13 boys, when it reached number 320. It is noticeably more common in Northern Ireland, where it reached number 147 in the same year, 2022.
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Sources
- Wiktionary: Abel (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Abel (given name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Abel | 8 | 164 |
In Northern Ireland
#270 in 2025 with 6 babies. Best rank #147 (2022); 132 babies since 2007.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.