Abner
Boy name · #874 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Abner? In official American birth records, Abner has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Abner ranks #874 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 274 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1019, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 6,569 boys born in 2025 was named Abner.
Babies named Abner per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Abner first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 27 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 293 babies and a rank of #838. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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 Abner against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Abner in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Abner is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Abner will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Abner is most common
Geography matters for names, and Abner is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Abner is most common in GA (0.4 per 1,000), TN (0.3 per 1,000), PA (0.3 per 1,000), NC (0.3 per 1,000), FL (0.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Abner is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Abner
Statistically, parents drawn to Abner tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ameer, Turner, Adler, Foster, and Ammar.
AmeerTurnerAdlerFosterAmmarPalmerFisherEliezer
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Abner | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 274 | #874 |
| 2024 | 293 | #838 |
| 2023 | 221 | #997 |
| 2022 | 191 | #1113 |
| 2021 | 215 | #1023 |
| 2020 | 219 | #976 |
| 2019 | 183 | #1091 |
| 2018 | 203 | #1016 |
| 2017 | 195 | #1029 |
| 2016 | 201 | #1011 |
| 2015 | 199 | #1019 |
| 2014 | 202 | #1012 |
| 2013 | 195 | #1005 |
| 2012 | 157 | #1161 |
| 2011 | 166 | #1108 |
| 2010 | 162 | #1143 |
| 2009 | 150 | #1202 |
| 2008 | 149 | #1188 |
| 2007 | 173 | #1073 |
| 2006 | 156 | #1116 |
| 2005 | 132 | #1201 |
| 2004 | 133 | #1172 |
| 2003 | 116 | #1248 |
| 2002 | 115 | #1204 |
| 2001 | 106 | #1254 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Abner?
In official American birth records, the name Abner first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 27 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Abner a popular boy name?
Abner ranked #874 among boys in 2025 with 274 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1019.
When was the name Abner most popular?
Abner peaked in 2024, when 293 American boys received the name (ranked #838 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Abner?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 6,569 newborn American boys was named Abner. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.