Abner is a boy name with a modern feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Abner means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Abner across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Abner has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Abner is a boy name of Hebrew origin meaning “father of light”. In the Bible the commander of King Saul's army.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 9,454 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 79 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 6 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Abner per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 2024 (293/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2025 (15/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2024 (3/yr).
Abner is an uncommon baby name in the United States. It was most common in 2024, when it ranked #1,735 nationally (given to 305 babies that year).
Not sure if it's the one? The best way to know is to see if your partner loves it too. Swipe baby names with your partner and match on the ones you both ❤️, free, no account needed to start.
Find your name together →