Axel

Meaning: Father is peace
Origin: Danish (from Danish (Aksel < bishop Absalon < biblical Absalom)) — Variant of Absalom · Hebrew Avshalom

Boy's name · #79 in the US (2025) · 2020s wave

Popularity over time

Axel is near its high-water mark: it reached #71 in 2023 and still ranked #79 in 2025. About 72,000 boys have carried it since 1880.

Actor Will Ferrell and Swedish actress Viveca Paulin chose the name for their third son, Axel, born in January 2010.

Across the states

See where Axel is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 50 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

Axel is especially popular in Ecuador.

#9 in Ecuador (2025) · #39 in Sweden (2025) · #43 in Finland (Swedish-sp.) (2025) · #51 in Mexico (2024) · #71 in France (2025) · #100 in Spain (2024) · #126 in Norway (2025) · #147 in England & Wales (2025) · #177 in New Zealand (2025) · #183 in Puerto Rico (2025) · #207 in Switzerland (2025) · #227 in Scotland (2025) and 7 more.

Famous Axels

Axel Witsel — Belgian association football player (born 1989)
Axel Munthe — Swedish physician (1857–1949)
Axel Oxenstierna — Swedish statesman (1583–1654)
Axel Rodrigues de Arruda — Brazilian association football player
Axel Disasi — French footballer (born 1998)

In stories & tradition

Axel Foley — Beverly Hills Cop (film)
Axel Blaze — Inazuma Eleven (video game series)
Axel Borg^fr — Lefranc (comics)

What Axels become

Among 3,411 notable people named Axel:

Medical professionals appear 1.83× more often than among typical names — e.g. Axel Munthe, Swedish physician (1857–1949).

Similar names: Ezekiel · Ace · Theo · Abel · Adriel · Ismael

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

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