Holding steady, #5,608 for boys today.
Popularity of Abu since 1971
Babies named Abu per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2007, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Abu's real moment was 2025.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 43 |
| 1980s | 60 |
| 1990s | 79 |
| 2000s | 129 |
| 2010s | 97 |
| 2020s | 60 |
Meaning & origin
Abu is an Arabic name that has been in consistent but low-frequency use in the United States since it first appeared in Social Security records in 1971. As of 2025, the name ranks 5608th nationally, with approximately 1 in 106,755 male births receiving it. Its peak year is also 2025, indicating a stable trajectory rather than a surge or decline. Abu is not strongly associated with any particular U.S. state, reflecting its broad but sparse use across the country. The name derives from the Arabic word for 'father of,' and as a standalone name, it often functions as a diminutive or stand-in for fuller compound names. Its steady presence over five decades suggests sustained use within communities familiar with Arabic naming traditions.
Abu is an Arabic word meaning 'father of,' used in Arabic naming conventions as a kunya, an honorific indicating a parent-child relationship or a characteristic. It commonly appears as the first element of compound names such as Abubakar or Abdullah. As a given name on its own, Abu is often a familiar form or standalone use in various Muslim cultures.
“Abu” around the world
Where Abu lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
10
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Aboo, Abou
Sibling names for Abu
Names that share Abu's style, for a brother or sister.
