Abel

maleStatistical record

What official birth registration shows about Abel: which national registrars published it, in which years, and how its recorded position changed.

No researched meaning, origin or pronunciation yet — what that means.

Abel: Recorded since 1977, it reached #82 in 2021, and it stood at #110 in 2025.

5registrars recorded it
111times a registrar ranked it
49years from first to last
#82highest recorded position
13groupings it qualifies for

Region

Trend unknown

among girls in England and Wales · 2021

View as table

England and Wales · Girls rank by year
Year	Rank
2021	#5581

VerifiedSource: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales.Confidence: high.

See all England and Wales names · Source: Office for National Statistics — Baby Names in England and Wales

What the data shows

Trend unknownEngland and Wales · Girls

Recorded in official data among boys in Norway in 43 of the 49 years from 1977 to 2025.

In 2025: #110 among boys in Norway, #432 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Official data from 5 national registrars across 5 regions, 1977–2025 · Office for National Statistics. Data sources

Popularity journey

First recorded1977
First recorded at #581 among boys in Norway in 1977 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1977–2025
Highest recorded position: #82 among boys in Norway, in 2021 (recorded 1977–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #110 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys

Abel appears in 4 of the published lists Namewise holds. The longest record is Norway · Boys, which has ranked it in 43 years beginning in 1977, and has registered 944 births with the name.

Abel across 4 official records

Each registrar publishes its own list, so these figures are read down a row, never across one. A position in one country is not comparable with a position in another, and Namewise never combines them into a single ranking. The birth counts do not compare across rows either, for a different reason: England and Wales registers roughly thirty times as many births a year as Northern Ireland, so a larger total says which registrar recorded it as much as how widely the name was given.

Abel's first, highest and most recent recorded position in each official list, with the number of births each registrar registered with the name and its largest single year
Published list	First recorded	Highest	Most recent	Years recorded	Births registered	Most in one year
Norway · Boys	#581 (1977)	#82 (2021)	#110 (2025)	43 of 49	944 (1977–2025)	78 (2021)
England and Wales · Boys	#1337 (1996)	#153 (2023)	#166 (2024)	29 of 29	3,399 (1996–2024)	345 (2023)
Republic of Ireland · Boys	#347 (2001)	#329 (2022)	#432 (2025)	22 of 25	164 (2001–2025)	13 (2022)
Northern Ireland · Boys	#357 (2007)	#147 (2022)	#202 (2024)	15 of 18	126 (2007–2024)	16 (2022)

Abel by decade in Norway · Boys

Births registered with the name in each decade of this one list, with the number of years the list covers in that decade. Bars are scaled on births a year, which is the figure that compares between decades — a decade the list only partly covers has a smaller total without being a quieter decade. Figures belong to this registrar alone and do not carry to another.

Births registered with Abel in Norway · Boys, by decade, with years covered and the average per year
Decade	Births registered	Years covered	A year
1970s	9	2 of 10	5
1980s	29	5 of 10	6
1990s	87	10 of 10	9
2000s	106	10 of 10	11
2010s	328	10 of 10	33
2020sbusiest	385	6 of 10	64

Across Norway · Boys, the 2020s were its busiest decade — the 6 years of it this list covers, averaging 64 births a year.

Its sharpest single-year move came between 2015 and 2016, when recorded births fell by 27, from 51 to 24.

See the names Norwayhas recorded the most births with →

Abel appears in

Groupings this name qualifies for under their own stated rules, from the same official statistics shown above.

Popularity data

Official popularity data is available for 5 regions, from 1977 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #82 in Norway in 2021.

Abel's recorded popularity observations by year, region and administrative category, including rank, registered births, source confidence and when each region's data was last reviewed.
Year	Region	Category	Rank	Births registered	Confidence	Status
2024	England and Wales	male	#166	302	High	Verified
2023	England and Wales	male	#153	345	High	Verified
2022	England and Wales	male	#171	300	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	female	#5581	3	High	Verified
2021	England and Wales	male	#178	301	High	Verified
2020	England and Wales	male	#210	242	High	Verified
2019	England and Wales	male	#224	226	High	Verified
2018	England and Wales	male	#220	235	High	Verified
2017	England and Wales	male	#196	276	High	Verified
2016	England and Wales	male	#227	247	High	Verified
2015	England and Wales	male	#290	163	High	Verified
2014	England and Wales	male	#335	134	High	Verified
2013	England and Wales	male	#379	107	High	Verified
2012	England and Wales	male	#549	66	High	Verified
2011	England and Wales	male	#501	72	High	Verified
2010	England and Wales	male	#653	49	High	Verified
2009	England and Wales	male	#848	33	High	Verified
2008	England and Wales	male	#775	37	High	Verified
2007	England and Wales	male	#698	40	High	Verified
2006	England and Wales	male	#608	47	High	Verified
2005	England and Wales	male	#891	25	High	Verified
2004	England and Wales	male	#731	31	High	Verified
2003	England and Wales	male	#976	19	High	Verified
2002	England and Wales	male	#950	18	High	Verified
2001	England and Wales	male	#1078	14	High	Verified
2000	England and Wales	male	#794	21	High	Verified
1999	England and Wales	male	#1281	10	High	Verified
1998	England and Wales	male	#924	16	High	Verified
1997	England and Wales	male	#1010	14	High	Verified
1996	England and Wales	male	#1337	9	High	Verified
2024	Northern Ireland	male	#202	10	High	Verified
2023	Northern Ireland	male	#189	11	High	Verified
2022	Northern Ireland	male	#147	16	High	Verified
2021	Northern Ireland	male	#158	15	High	Verified
2020	Northern Ireland	male	#252	7	High	Verified
2019	Northern Ireland	male	#226	9	High	Verified
2018	Northern Ireland	male	#187	12	High	Verified
2017	Northern Ireland	male	#179	13	High	Verified
2016	Northern Ireland	male	#253	7	High	Verified
2015	Northern Ireland	male	#237	8	High	Verified
2014	Northern Ireland	male	#398	3	High	Verified
2013	Northern Ireland	male	#398	3	High	Verified
2012	Northern Ireland	male	#273	6	High	Verified
2009	Northern Ireland	male	#390	3	High	Verified
2007	Northern Ireland	male	#357	3	High	Verified
2025	Norway	male	#110	59	High	Verified
2024	Norway	male	#105	59	High	Verified
2023	Norway	male	#102	65	High	Verified
2022	Norway	male	#96	66	High	Verified
2021	Norway	male	#82	78	High	Verified
2020	Norway	male	#101	58	High	Verified
2019	Norway	male	#97	70	High	Verified
2018	Norway	male	#135	45	High	Verified
2017	Norway	male	#131	51	High	Verified
2016	Norway	male	#218	24	High	Verified
2015	Norway	male	#129	51	High	Verified
2014	Norway	male	#175	33	High	Verified
2013	Norway	male	#256	19	High	Verified
2012	Norway	male	#272	17	High	Verified
2011	Norway	male	#424	7	High	Verified
2010	Norway	male	#345	11	High	Verified
2009	Norway	male	#288	16	High	Verified
2008	Norway	male	#412	8	High	Verified
2007	Norway	male	#434	7	High	Verified
2006	Norway	male	#290	14	High	Verified
2005	Norway	male	#476	5	High	Verified
2004	Norway	male	#328	10	High	Verified
2003	Norway	male	#392	8	High	Verified
2002	Norway	male	#306	11	High	Verified
2001	Norway	male	#442	6	High	Verified
2000	Norway	male	#239	21	High	Verified
1999	Norway	male	#369	9	High	Verified
1998	Norway	male	#308	13	High	Verified
1997	Norway	male	#383	9	High	Verified
1996	Norway	male	#556	4	High	Verified
1995	Norway	male	#312	13	High	Verified
1994	Norway	male	#469	6	High	Verified
1993	Norway	male	#392	9	High	Verified
1992	Norway	male	#483	6	High	Verified
1991	Norway	male	#473	7	High	Verified
1990	Norway	male	#388	11	High	Verified
1988	Norway	male	#533	6	High	Verified
1987	Norway	male	#519	6	High	Verified
1985	Norway	male	#525	6	High	Verified
1984	Norway	male	#524	6	High	Verified
1980	Norway	male	#560	5	High	Verified
1979	Norway	male	#556	5	High	Verified
1977	Norway	male	#581	4	High	Verified
2025	Republic of Ireland	male	#432	8	High	Verified
2024	Republic of Ireland	male	#374	10	High	Verified
2023	Republic of Ireland	male	#362	10	High	Verified
2022	Republic of Ireland	male	#329	13	High	Verified
2021	Republic of Ireland	male	#336	12	High	Verified
2020	Republic of Ireland	male	#556	5	High	Verified
2019	Republic of Ireland	male	#506	6	High	Verified
2018	Republic of Ireland	male	#635	4	High	Verified
2017	Republic of Ireland	male	#374	10	High	Verified
2016	Republic of Ireland	male	#601	4	High	Verified
2015	Republic of Ireland	male	#355	11	High	Verified
2014	Republic of Ireland	male	#347	12	High	Verified
2013	Republic of Ireland	male	#338	12	High	Verified
2012	Republic of Ireland	male	#500	6	High	Verified
2011	Republic of Ireland	male	#455	7	High	Verified
2010	Republic of Ireland	male	#448	7	High	Verified
2009	Republic of Ireland	male	#604	4	High	Verified
2008	Republic of Ireland	male	#601	4	High	Verified
2007	Republic of Ireland	male	#374	8	High	Verified
2006	Republic of Ireland	male	#596	3	High	Verified
2003	Republic of Ireland	male	#423	4	High	Verified
2001	Republic of Ireland	male	#347	4	High	Verified
2024	Scotland	male	#352	10	High	Verified

England and Wales hub — collected by Office for National Statistics
Northern Ireland hub — collected by NISRA
Norway hub — collected by Statistics Norway (SSB)
Republic of Ireland hub — collected by CSO Ireland
Scotland hub — collected by National Records of Scotland

See methodology and data sources for how popularity data is collected and what "confidence" means.

What the record shows

Recorded by 5 registrars between 1977 and 2025, ranked in 43 years of that period.

Its highest recorded position is #82, first reached in 2021.

It held a top-100 place in 3 years, 2 of them consecutive.

Its largest count from any one registrar is 345 births, registered in England and Wales in 2023.

Its record falls into 5 separate stretches, with a longest absence of 3 years.

A second registrar first ranked it in 1996, and 47 years separate the first registrar to record it from the last.

Every figure here is counted from the seven official registrars Namewise holds. A position is only ever a place within the list that published it, and a record that thins or stops is a fact about what registrars printed — never about how many children received the name.

Where to go next

Records with a comparable body of evidence, so the catalogue can be read outward from this one. Each group states the rule it was selected by.

Next in the catalogue

The records either side of this one alphabetically.

Abeera · #1267, 18y
Abeerah · #3252, 11y
Abena · #1690, 27y
Abhay · #1078, 24y

A comparable record

Records held by the same 5 registrars, over a similar number of ranked years, whose highest position is closest to this one. A similar body of evidence — never a claim that the names themselves are alike.

Jasmin · #84, 46y
Chantelle · #78, 42y
Dillon · #86, 42y
Jodi · #78, 40y

Also first recorded in the 1970s

Records whose earliest ranking in Namewise's registrar data also falls between 1970 and 1979.

Cleo · #82, 39y
Jaime · #82, 36y
Haley · #81, 37y
Renae · #83, 34y

Abel was ranked #82 in Norway · Boys in 2021. These are the names immediately either side of it on that published list — a fact about the registrar's own output, not a similarity judgement.

Abel and the names beside it

Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale, in the same year, by the same registrar — so these are positions that genuinely passed each other, not a similarity judgement. Drawn from the 2,573 names with a recorded popularity standing (common, familiar, uncommon), so a name outside that set could have passed Abel without appearing here.

Abel moved ahead of

Mathias Compare
In 1996 they stood at #1337 and #1337 in England and Wales · Boys; by 1997 that had become #1010 and #2859.
Graeme Compare
In 1999 they stood at #1281 and #1281 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2000 that had become #794 and #2501.
Shannon Compare
In 1996 they stood at #1337 and #1168 in England and Wales · Boys; by 1997 that had become #1010 and #1761.
Graham Compare
In 2003 they stood at #976 and #695 in England and Wales · Boys; by 2004 that had become #731 and #1347.

Moved ahead of Abel

Beau Compare
In 2017 they stood at #374 and #418 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2018 that had become #635 and #239.
Filip Compare
In 2005 they stood at #423 and #500 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2006 that had become #596 and #203.
Archie Compare
In 2007 they stood at #374 and #473 in Republic of Ireland · Boys; by 2008 that had become #601 and #252.
Theo Compare
In 2000 they stood at #239 and #318 in Norway · Boys; by 2001 that had become #442 and #225.

Moved the opposite way to Abel

Arild Compare
Between 1977 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Abel went from #581 to #110 while Arild went from #74 to #489.
Arne Compare
Between 1977 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Abel went from #581 to #110 while Arne went from #49 to #222.
Bjørn Compare
Between 1977 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Abel went from #581 to #110 while Bjørn went from #6 to #56.
Dag Compare
Between 1977 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Abel went from #581 to #110 while Dag went from #47 to #426.

Moved the same way as Abel

Adam Compare
Between 1977 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Abel went from #581 to #110 and Adam from #109 to #29.
Adrian Compare
Between 1977 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Abel went from #581 to #110 and Adrian from #226 to #70.
Benjamin Compare
Between 1977 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Abel went from #581 to #110 and Benjamin from #235 to #48.
Edward Compare
Between 1977 and 2025 in Norway · Boys, Abel went from #581 to #110 and Edward from #500 to #189.

What's not yet available

Meaning
Origin
Pronunciation
Nicknames and spelling variants

Absence from this list does not mean the name isn't genuinely meaningful or widely used — only that Namewise hasn't sourced and reviewed that content yet. Absence from a specific year or geography above does not prove zero use there either; official statistics only publish names above a minimum threshold.

Official popularity data is available for 5 regions, from 1977 to 2025. Highest recorded position: #82 in Norway in 2021. Source data last verified 2026-07-21.

Abel

Abel at a glance

What the data shows

Popularity journey

Abel across 4 official records

Abel by decade in Norway · Boys

Abel appears in

Popularity data

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1970s

Names published alongside Abel

Abel and the names beside it

Abel moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Abel

Moved the opposite way to Abel

Moved the same way as Abel

Abel at a glance

Abel across 4 official records

Abel by decade in Norway · Boys

Abel appears in

What the record shows

Where to go next

Next in the catalogue

A comparable record

Also first recorded in the 1970s

Names published alongside Abel

Abel and the names beside it

Abel moved ahead of

Moved ahead of Abel

Moved the opposite way to Abel

Moved the same way as Abel