Fun Facts About the Name Axl
- More than 4 thousand babies named Axl: U.S. records list 4,409 babies given the name Axl from 1880 through 2025. Even 5 girls received the name Axl - about 1 girl for every 881 boys.
What Does the Name Axl Mean?
Axl is an English spelling of the Scandinavian name Axel. The most common explanation traces Axel to Old Norse Ásketill, a compound of áss, meaning "god" (one of the Æsir), and ketill, meaning "kettle" or "cauldron." Because such vessels were rounded like a helm, the second element is sometimes understood as "helmet." Taken literally, the name means "god's cauldron."
A second explanation connects Axel with the Hebrew name Absalom, meaning "father of peace" (from av, father, and shalom, peace). This link runs through the Danish archbishop Absalon of Lund, whose name was written as Axel in Danish. Whether the modern name descends from Ásketill, from Absalon, or from the two forms merging in Scandinavia is disputed, so the "father of peace" meaning is not securely established.
Axl Name History & Origins
Old Norse Ásketill was a common personal name in medieval Scandinavia. The Ás- element, meaning "god," appears in many Norse names, and Ásketill is found in medieval Scandinavian sources, including runic inscriptions and saga writing. It took different regional shapes, such as Askil and Askel in Norway, Eskil in Sweden, and Ásketill in Iceland.
Danish tradition connects the form Axel with Absalon, archbishop of Lund (c. 1128 - 1201), a churchman and statesman whom Danish sources call Axel. The form Axel entered Danish use in this period, and it later appears in Norwegian and Swedish naming as well. Because both a Norse name ending in a similar sound and the biblical name Absalom were in circulation, the relationship between the two derivations is debated.
The spelling Axl is a modern English respelling of Axel, dropping the e. It is most closely associated with the American singer Axl Rose (born William Bruce Rose Jr., 1962), lead singer of the band Guns N' Roses, who adopted the name. The Axl spelling is also used as a given name in English-speaking countries.
How Popular is the Name Axl?
Axl recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2019. Its best rank was #679 in 2019.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | #15,423 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,123 | 190 | 0.0111% |
| 2024 | #1,027 | 216 | 0.0126% |
| 2023 | #895 | 259 | 0.0152% |
| 2022 | #874 | 276 | 0.0158% |
| 2021 | #844 | 281 | 0.0161% |
| 2020 | #756 | 318 | 0.0184% |
| 2019 | #679 | 377 | 0.0210% |
| 2018 | #739 | 322 | 0.0177% |
| 2017 | #717 | 339 | 0.0183% |
| 2016 | #778 | 306 | 0.0161% |
| 2015 | #761 | 313 | 0.0163% |
| 2014 | #835 | 270 | 0.0141% |
| 2013 | #1,460 | 113 | 0.0060% |
| 2012 | #1,551 | 102 | 0.0054% |
| 2011 | #1,886 | 74 | 0.0039% |
| 2010 | #2,173 | 61 | 0.0032% |
| 2009 | #2,184 | 61 | 0.0031% |
| 2008 | #2,687 | 46 | 0.0023% |
| 2007 | #2,448 | 52 | 0.0025% |
| 2006 | #2,837 | 40 | 0.0019% |
| 2005 | #2,807 | 38 | 0.0019% |
| 2004 | #3,290 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 2003 | #3,197 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 2002 | #4,522 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2001 | #3,329 | 26 | 0.0013% |
| 2000 | #3,777 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1999 | #4,785 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #5,869 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #5,685 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1996 | #4,909 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1995 | #2,927 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 1994 | #3,113 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 1993 | #2,517 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 1992 | #2,470 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 1991 | #2,834 | 23 | 0.0011% |
| 1990 | #2,631 | 25 | 0.0012% |
| 1989 | #2,916 | 21 | 0.0010% |
| 1988 | #4,816 | 9 | 0.0005% |
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.
Explore More Lists with Name Axl
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with A
Short Boy Names That Start with A
How the Name Axl 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.
✦ Axl's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Axl's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.