Holding steady, #1,867 for boys today.
Popularity of Abdul since 1930
Babies named Abdul per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1930s | 26 |
| 1940s | 91 |
| 1950s | 46 |
| 1960s | 163 |
| 1970s | 1,052 |
| 1980s | 817 |
| 1990s | 1,299 |
| 2000s | 1,304 |
| 2010s | 1,159 |
| 2020s | 571 |
Meaning & origin
Abdul, an Arabic name meaning 'servant of the', operates as a prefix in compound names like Abdullah. In the United States, it first appeared on record in 1930 and reached its peak rank of 1867 in 2025, with a per-birth ratio of 1 in 20,334. Its popularity has remained stable over recent decades, with the highest usage in states such as Virginia, Maryland, and New York. While not typically used alone in Arabic-speaking contexts, in the U.S. it functions as a given name reflecting religious heritage and cultural identity.
Abdul derives from the Arabic 'abd al-, meaning 'servant of the'. It is not a standalone name but a contraction before one of the 99 names of God in Islam (e.g., Abdullah, Abdul Rahman). Used throughout the Muslim world, it has been common in the United States since at least the 1930s, particularly among African American converts and immigrant families.
Where Abdul is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Abdul” around the world
Where Abdul lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
25
babies in 2024
Ireland
9
babies in 2025
New Zealand
10
babies in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Abdi, Abdul
Sibling names for Abdul
Names that share Abdul's style, for a brother or sister.
