Axel Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Axel is predominantly used for boys. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Axel?
Axel is spelled A-X-E-L. The name has 4 letters.
Axel at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for boys
- Meaning
- Axel is derived from the Hebrew name Absalom, which means “father is peace.”
- Origin
- Axel is commonly associated with Scandinavian and Germanic usage and may derive from the Hebrew name Absalom.
- Pronunciation
- Ax-el · 2 syllables
Axel Popularity in 2025
Rank#10,917
Recorded Births8
Rank#79
Recorded Births4,140
- Girls usage rose 205 places to #10,917 and recorded the same number of births compared with 2024.
- Boys usage fell 1 place to #79 and recorded 115 fewer births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Axel Mean?
Axel is derived from the Hebrew name Absalom, which means “father is peace.”
Origin: Axel is commonly associated with Scandinavian and Germanic usage and may derive from the Hebrew name Absalom.
How Do You Pronounce Axel?
PronunciationAx-el
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Axel?
- History
- The name Axel has been used in Nordic countries and Germany for several centuries and appears in various historical records.
Axel Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2014 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 8 | #10,917 |
| 2025 | Boys | 4,140 | #79 |
| 2024 | Girls | 8 | #11,122 |
| 2024 | Boys | 4,255 | #78 |
| 2023 | Girls | 12 | #8,486 |
| 2023 | Boys | 4,523 | #71 |
| 2022 | Girls | 15 | #7,281 |
| 2022 | Boys | 4,350 | #76 |
| 2021 | Girls | 13 | #8,024 |
| 2021 | Boys | 4,540 | #76 |
| 2020 | Girls | 8 | #11,090 |
| 2020 | Boys | 4,667 | #72 |
| 2019 | Girls | 8 | #11,356 |
| 2019 | Boys | 4,505 | #84 |
| 2018 | Girls | 8 | #11,427 |
| 2018 | Boys | 4,074 | #94 |
| 2017 | Girls | 18 | #6,531 |
| 2017 | Boys | 3,789 | #104 |
| 2016 | Girls | 10 | #10,113 |
| 2016 | Boys | 3,467 | #116 |
| 2015 | Girls | 12 | #8,931 |
| 2015 | Boys | 3,249 | #123 |
| 2014 | Girls | 10 | #10,129 |
| 2014 | Boys | 2,806 | #145 |
When Was Axel Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
2020 · Boys
4,667 recorded births
National rank #72
2021 · Boys
4,540 recorded births
National rank #76
2023 · Boys
4,523 recorded births
National rank #71
2019 · Boys
4,505 recorded births
National rank #84
Where Axel Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Boys
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| OK | #51 | 71 |
| NM | #53 | 29 |
| ND | #53 | 18 |
| NV | #54 | 47 |
| WY | #54 | 8 |
| TX | #57 | 597 |
| AZ | #66 | 106 |
| KS | #66 | 50 |