Abe
Boy name · #2208 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Abe? In official American birth records, Abe has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 64 baby boys were named Abe, placing it at #2208 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1846, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 28,125 boys born in 2025 was named Abe.
Babies named Abe per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Abe first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 50 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1917, when 280 boys were named Abe — good for #324 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Abe against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Abe in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Abe is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Abe will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Abe is most common
State-level data for Abe is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Nicknames & related forms of Abe
Abe belongs to the Abraham family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the Abraham family went to about 1,728 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #204, versus #2208 for Abe alone.
Names like Abe
Statistically, parents drawn to Abe tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Emile, Judge, Omer, Alphonse, and Orin.
EmileJudgeOmerAlphonseOrinOlinRoscoeOrrin
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Abe | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 64 | #2207 |
| 2024 | 57 | #2418 |
| 2023 | 59 | #2346 |
| 2022 | 59 | #2379 |
| 2021 | 64 | #2193 |
| 2020 | 53 | #2437 |
| 2019 | 81 | #1849 |
| 2018 | 81 | #1856 |
| 2017 | 74 | #1935 |
| 2016 | 61 | #2207 |
| 2015 | 80 | #1846 |
| 2014 | 60 | #2230 |
| 2013 | 63 | #2113 |
| 2012 | 49 | #2517 |
| 2011 | 51 | #2437 |
| 2010 | 55 | #2324 |
| 2009 | 57 | #2287 |
| 2008 | 49 | #2542 |
| 2007 | 52 | #2442 |
| 2006 | 44 | #2659 |
| 2005 | 41 | #2653 |
| 2004 | 37 | #2788 |
| 2003 | 57 | #2006 |
| 2002 | 44 | #2337 |
| 2001 | 42 | #2346 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Abe?
In official American birth records, the name Abe first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 50 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Abe a popular boy name?
Abe ranked #2208 among boys in 2025 with 64 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1846.
When was the name Abe most popular?
Abe peaked in 1917, when 280 American boys received the name (ranked #324 that year). Since 1917 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Abe?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 28,125 newborn American boys was named Abe. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.