UK boy's name
Abdel
Servant or slave of God, a masculine Arabic name.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Abdel is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Abdel popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4270, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2004, with 13 births.
This profile covers 147 England and Wales registrations across 26 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 31% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 146 living people in the UK are called Abdel. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Abdel ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2004, when 13 boys were registered as Abdel.
- • About 146 living people in the UK are estimated to have Abdel as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4270
2024
Births in 2024
4
Latest year
Peak year
2004
13 births
Estimated living
146
2026
Meaning
What does Abdel mean?
The name Abdel has its origins in the Arabic language and culture. It is derived from the Arabic word "abd," meaning "servant" or "slave," and is often used as a prefix in combination with other words, typically referring to a servant or devotee of a particular entity.
Historically, the name Abdel has been associated with Islam and the Arab world. It has been used in various forms, such as Abdul, Abdallah, and Abdullah, which translate to "servant of God" or "servant of Allah." The name has a significant presence in Islamic literature and texts, including the Quran and hadith.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Abdel can be found in the 7th century, during the time of the Prophet Muhammad and the early years of Islam. For example, Abdullah ibn Masud was a prominent companion of the Prophet and is considered one of the most respected scholars of the Quran.
Throughout history, there have been several notable figures who bore the name Abdel or its variations. Here are five examples:
1. Abdel Halim Hafez (1929-1977), an Egyptian singer, actor, and composer who was widely regarded as one of the greatest Arab musicians of the 20th century.
2. Abdel Nasser (1918-1970), the second President of Egypt, who played a pivotal role in the Arab nationalist movement and the 1952 Egyptian revolution.
3. Abdel Malik (646-705), the fifth Caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate, who ruled from 685 to 705 CE and is known for expanding the Islamic empire into parts of North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula.
4. Abdel Qadir al-Jilani (1077-1166), a Sufi mystic and scholar who founded the Qadiri order, one of the most influential Sufi orders in Islam.
5. Abdel Rahman I (731-788), the founder of the Umayyad dynasty in Cordoba, Spain, and the first ruler of the independent Muslim state in the Iberian Peninsula.
The name Abdel has maintained its significance within the Arab and Islamic world, being used across various regions and time periods. Its deep-rooted connection to the Arabic language and Islamic heritage has contributed to its enduring popularity and cultural significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Abdel over time
The chart below shows babies named Abdel registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Abdel, the clearest high point is 2004. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 13 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Abdel by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Abdel was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4556 | 10 | 3 |
| 2010s | #3337 | 56 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2271 | 70 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2546 | 11 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Abdel
- Alfie 86,546
- Alexander 85,525
- Adam 71,855
- Archie 59,965
- Arthur 43,586
- Aaron 36,366
- Alex 32,729
- Andrew 20,169
- Arlo 19,061
- Aidan 16,776
- Albie 16,017
- Albert 15,809
FAQ
Abdel: questions and answers
How popular is the name Abdel in the UK right now?
In 2024, Abdel was ranked #4270 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Abdel most popular?
The peak year on record was 2004, with 13 babies registered as Abdel in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Abdel?
Servant or slave of God, a masculine Arabic name.
How many people are called Abdel in the UK?
A total of 147 babies have been registered as Abdel across the 26 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.