Abe

Meaning: Father of multitudes; some scholars read 'father is exalted'
Origin: Variant of Abraham (from Hebrew)

Boy's name · #2207 in the US (2025) · Vintage

Popularity over time

Abe is an heirloom: its strongest era came around 1898, when it ranked #215. It has thinned since but never left the records — about 9,700 boys since 1880, ranked #2207 today. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Across the states

In recent years, Abe ran 4–5× its national rate in New Jersey and New York.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 3 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Abe ranks in other countries and regions.

#320 in Netherlands (2025) · #2,137 in Canada (2024).

Famous Abes

Abe Vigoda — American actor (1921–2016)
Abe Lenstra — Dutch footballer (1920–1985)
Abe Wiersma — Dutch rower
Abe Fortas — United States Supreme Court Justice (1910–1982)
Abe Saperstein — American sports executive and basketball coach (1902–1966)

In stories & tradition

Abe Sapien — Hellboy (comics)
Abe — Oddworld (video game series)
Abe Carver — Days of Our Lives (TV series)

What Abes become

Among 241 notable people named Abe:

Sports figures appear 1.85× more often than among typical names — e.g. Abe Lenstra, Dutch footballer (1920–1985).

Similar names: Avrohom · Elam · Abiel · Kolbe · Meyer · Ike

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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