US Popularity Rank: 410

Origin: Hebrew

Meaning: Breath, vapor

Abel is a boy’s name that has the unique position of being both unusual as a given name and yet well-known and much-loved throughout history, especially during the Middle Ages. A deeply spiritual name for Jewish parents, Abel is of Hebrew origins. In the Hebrew Bible, it is infamously the name of Adam and Eve’s son, a favorite of God who is slain by his brother Cain. Refreshingly, Abel doesn’t mean anything so sinister. Instead, it means “breath” or “vapor,” a calming association that will remind baby Abel of the powerful life force within him.