boys' name · peaked 1917

Abe

A diminutive of the male given name Abraham, from Hebrew.

Every Abe since 1880 — 9,694 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex — comparable across eras
0.190.380.560.7518801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1898Boys
Rank 2025
#2,207
among boys
Babies in 2025
64
named Abe
Peak year
1917
280 babies
All-time total
9,694
since 1880

The story of Abe

Abe is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,207 in 2025 with 64 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 9,694 American babies have been named Abe. Its peak came in 1917, when 280 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Abe stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

Abe year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 64 #2,207
2024 57 #2,419
2023 59 #2,346
2022 59 #2,380
2021 64 #2,195
2020 53 #2,437
2019 81 #1,849
2018 81 #1,856
2017 74 #1,936
2016 61 #2,208
2015 80 #1,846
2014 60 #2,230
2013 63 #2,113
2012 49 #2,517
2011 51 #2,437
2010 55 #2,324
2009 57 #2,287
2008 49 #2,542
2007 52 #2,443
2006 44 #2,659
2005 41 #2,653
2004 37 #2,788
2003 57 #2,006
2002 44 #2,338
2001 42 #2,347
2000 31 #2,864
1995 20 #3,303
1990 25 #2,628
1985 27 #2,071
1980 36 #1,619
1975 40 #1,378
1970 34 #1,435
1965 36 #1,271
1960 60 #981
1955 60 #971
1950 46 #1,037
1945 58 #817
1940 54 #858
1935 59 #803
1930 86 #672
1925 116 #577
1920 207 #408
1915 272 #311
1910 74 #282
1905 65 #241
1900 56 #274
1895 54 #242
1890 49 #237
1885 47 #241
1880 50 #234

Famous people named Abe

  1. Abe no Seimei Politician · 921–1005
  2. Abe Vigoda Actor · 1921–2016
  3. Abe Lenstra Soccer player · 1920–1985
  4. Abe Masahiro Politician · 1819–1857

Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Abe mean?

A diminutive of the male given name Abraham, from Hebrew.

How popular is the name Abe in 2025?

Abe ranked #2,207 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 64 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Abe?

9,694 babies have been named Abe in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Abe most popular?

Abe peaked in 1917, when 280 newborns received the name.

Is Abe a boy or girl name?

Abe is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Abe rising or falling?

Abe has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Abe?

Well-known people named Abe include Abe no Seimei (politician), Abe Vigoda (actor), Abe Lenstra (soccer player).

Names like Abe

Compare Abe with similar names →