Axel

Meaning: Father is peace
Origin: Hebrew — Danish form of Absalom

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.

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) · #50 in Mexico (2024) · #71 in France (2025) · #99 in Spain (2024) · #120 in Canada (2025) · #126 in Norway (2025) · #147 in England & Wales (2025) · #177 in New Zealand (2025) · #183 in Puerto Rico (2025) · #207 in Switzerland (2025) and 10 more.

Famous Axels

Axel Witsel — Belgian footballer (born 1989)
Axel Munthe — Swedish physician (1857–1949)
Axel Oxenstierna — Swedish statesman (1583–1654)
Axel Rodrigues de Arruda — Brazilian footballer (born 1970)
Axel Disasi — French footballer (born 1998)
Axel Tuanzebe — Congolese footballer (born 1997)
Axel Paulsen — Norwegian skater (1855–1938)
Axel Pehrsson-Bramstorp — Swedish 20th century prime minister (1883–1954)
Axel Fredrik Cronstedt — Swedish mineralogist and chemist (1722–1765)

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 · Ari · Adriel · Ismael · Abel

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

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