Fun Facts About the Name Abbe
- More than 1 thousand babies named Abbe: U.S. records list 1,325 babies given the name Abbe from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Abbe Mean?
Abbe as an English feminine given name means "father's joy." It is a variant spelling of Abbey or Abbie, short forms of Abigail. Abigail comes from the Hebrew name Avigayil (אֲבִיגַיִל), usually explained as "my father is joy" or "father's joy," from av ("father") and gil ("joy").
Separately, Abbe is a Swedish masculine given name, a familiar form of Abraham. Abraham is a Hebrew name, Avraham (אַבְרָהָם), traditionally explained in Genesis as "father of a multitude," from av ("father") and hamon ("multitude"). That biblical explanation is a traditional interpretation; the older form Abram is often understood as "exalted father." In Swedish use, Abbe inherits the Abraham association.
Abbe Name History & Origins
The English feminine Abbe belongs to the family of names derived from Abigail. Abigail appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Nabal and later of King David. The name was used in English-speaking countries after the Protestant Reformation, especially among Puritans, and in later English use it produced short forms such as Abby, Abbie, and Abbey. Abbe is a less common spelling variant of those short forms. It is not derived from the French word abbé, a title for a cleric, despite the similar spelling.
The Swedish masculine Abbe is a separate development. In Sweden, Abbe is used as a masculine given name and as a familiar form of Abraham. Swedish familiar forms often end in -e, and Abbe fits that pattern. The name is not related to the English feminine Abbe, even though the two are spelled alike.
How Popular is the Name Abbe?
Abbe has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1958. Its best rank was #1,202 in 1957.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #14,570 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2010 | #17,007 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #9,385 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2008 | #15,418 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #7,501 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2004 | #8,263 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2003 | #12,414 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2002 | #15,448 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #7,318 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2000 | #5,490 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1999 | #7,239 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #9,261 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #7,286 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1996 | #7,576 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1995 | #8,079 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #8,126 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1993 | #6,265 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1992 | #7,512 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1991 | #6,255 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1990 | #4,694 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1989 | #5,837 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1988 | #6,667 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1987 | #4,283 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1986 | #4,186 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1985 | #3,852 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1984 | #4,737 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1983 | #3,432 | 23 | 0.0014% |
| 1982 | #4,945 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1981 | #3,252 | 26 | 0.0016% |
| 1980 | #2,537 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 1979 | #2,931 | 29 | 0.0018% |
| 1978 | #3,196 | 24 | 0.0016% |
| 1977 | #3,761 | 19 | 0.0012% |
| 1976 | #5,601 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1975 | #3,951 | 16 | 0.0011% |
| 1974 | #4,721 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1973 | #3,233 | 20 | 0.0014% |
| 1972 | #4,091 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1971 | #3,166 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1970 | #3,208 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1969 | #2,917 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1968 | #2,707 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1967 | #2,376 | 26 | 0.0016% |
| 1966 | #2,586 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1965 | #2,153 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 1964 | #1,947 | 37 | 0.0020% |
| 1963 | #2,620 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1962 | #1,857 | 38 | 0.0019% |
| 1961 | #2,250 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 1960 | #1,656 | 46 | 0.0023% |
| 1959 | #1,567 | 48 | 0.0024% |
| 1958 | #1,203 | 78 | 0.0039% |
| 1957 | #1,202 | 77 | 0.0038% |
| 1956 | #1,681 | 40 | 0.0020% |
| 1955 | #1,480 | 47 | 0.0024% |
| 1954 | #1,836 | 32 | 0.0016% |
| 1953 | #1,931 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 1952 | #1,578 | 37 | 0.0020% |
| 1951 | #2,246 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1950 | #3,423 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1949 | #5,244 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Abbe Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Powerful and complete. You are good intellectually and require several outlets for your energies. You are not a builder but a planner, and you want others to carry out your plans. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Abbe's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Abbe's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.