UK boy's name
Avel
Hebrew name derived from the Biblical word "hebel" meaning "breath" or "vapor".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Avel is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Avel popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4991, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2022, with 4 births.
This profile covers 7 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2022 to 2023. 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 7 living people in the UK are called Avel. 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 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Avel ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales in 2023, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2022, when 4 boys were registered as Avel.
- • About 7 living people in the UK are estimated to have Avel as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4991
2023
Births in 2023
3
Latest year
Peak year
2022
4 births
Estimated living
7
2026
Meaning
What does Avel mean?
The name Avel is thought to have originated from the Hebrew name Abel, which means "breath" or "vanity." The name Abel is found in the biblical Book of Genesis, where it refers to the second son of Adam and Eve, who was killed by his brother Cain out of jealousy.
In the Christian tradition, Abel is regarded as the first martyr and a symbol of innocence and virtue. The name Abel is also present in the Islamic tradition, where it is spelled as Habil. In the Quran, the story of Cain and Abel is mentioned, with Abel being portrayed as the righteous one.
The earliest recorded use of the name Avel is believed to have been in the 12th century in France. During the Middle Ages, the name Avel was sometimes used as a variant spelling of Abel, particularly in areas of France and other parts of Europe.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Avel was Avel de la Barre, a French knight who lived in the late 12th century. He fought in the Third Crusade and was mentioned in several historical accounts of the time.
In the 16th century, Avel de la Tour was a French diplomat and ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. He played a significant role in negotiating treaties and maintaining diplomatic relations between France and the Ottoman Empire during his service from 1542 to 1547.
In the 18th century, Avel Gordine was a Russian military officer and explorer. He led several expeditions to the Kamchatka Peninsula and the Kuril Islands in the 1730s and 1740s, contributing to the exploration and mapping of these regions.
In the 19th century, Avel Manvelyan was an Armenian writer and poet. He was born in 1857 and is known for his contributions to Armenian literature, including his poetry collection "Sharaganer" (Songs), published in 1885.
Another notable individual with the name Avel was Avel Enukidze, a Bolshevik revolutionary and political figure in the Soviet Union. He was born in 1877 and served as the Secretary of the Central Executive Committee of the Soviet Union from 1923 to 1935.
While the name Avel is not as common as some other names, it has a rich history and has been used by individuals from various backgrounds and cultures throughout the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Avel over time
The chart below shows babies named Avel registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2022 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Avel, the clearest high point is 2022. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2023, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Avel by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Avel 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 | #4496 | 7 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Avel
- 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
Avel: questions and answers
How popular is the name Avel in the UK right now?
In 2023, Avel was ranked #4991 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Avel most popular?
The peak year on record was 2022, with 4 babies registered as Avel in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Avel?
Hebrew name derived from the Biblical word "hebel" meaning "breath" or "vapor".
How many people are called Avel in the UK?
A total of 7 babies have been registered as Avel across the 2 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.