The name Abe is of Hebrew origin and means "father of multitude" or "noble father". It is a derivative of the Hebrew name Abraham, which was given to the first patriarch of the Jewish people in the Bible.
Abe has been used as a given name since the Middle Ages, but it became particularly popular in the United States during the 19th century. In fact, according to data from the Social Security Administration, Abe was one of the top 500 boys' names in the U.S. for every year between 1880 and 1960.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Abe. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, is perhaps the most famous Abe. Born in Kentucky in 1809, Lincoln served as president from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. He is remembered for leading the country through the American Civil War and abolishing slavery.
Another notable figure with the name Abe is Abraham Zapruder, a Russian immigrant who became famous for filming the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. Zapruder's footage, known as the Zapruder film, is one of the most famous pieces of visual evidence in American history.
Today, Abe remains a popular given name for boys, particularly in English-speaking countries. It has a strong and powerful sound that makes it appealing to parents. Additionally, its connection to historical figures like Abraham Lincoln lends it a sense of gravitas and importance. However, despite its Hebrew origins, Abe is not typically associated with any particular religion or cultural background today. Instead, it is simply seen as a classic and timeless boys' name.
The given statistics show a significant increase in the number of births named Abe over time, with a peak occurring between 1914 and 1917, reaching as high as 280 births in 1917. However, there was a noticeable decline starting from the late 1920s, with numbers dropping below 100 consistently from 1965 onwards. The most recent data shows a slight resurgence since 2013, but the popularity of the name Abe remains relatively low compared to its peak in the early 20th century. Overall, there have been a total of 9568 births named Abe between 1880 and 2023.