boy's name
Abdul
AB-dool
- Origin Arabic
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (E&W)
- Births on record 17,623
England and Wales
#177
2025 births
Abdul is a boy's name of Arabic origin meaning "servant of the." It is strictly half a name — abd al- must be followed by one of the names of God, and English registers have preserved the fragment as though it were complete.
- Abdul is a name of Arabic origin.
- Peaked in England and Wales in 2010, when 340 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade in England and Wales.
- Today about 1 in 1,805 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1996.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Abdul over time
Births per decade in England and Wales, 1990s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 901 |
| 2000s | 2,829 |
| 2010s | 2,908 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,581 |
What Abdul means
Abdul means servant of the, which is grammatically incomplete on its own. In full it is Abdul-Rahman, servant of the Merciful, or Abdul-Aziz, servant of the Almighty.
Where Abdul comes from
Abdul renders the Arabic ʿabd al-, servant of the, where ʿabd is servant and al- the definite article. The construction always takes a following name of God — Abdulrahman, Abdulaziz, Abdulkarim — and standing alone it is a fragment, the equivalent of a name meaning servant of the. English-speaking registrars recording only the first element preserved that fragment, and it is now widely used as a complete given name in the West by families who know exactly what it means. In the Arabic-speaking world it remains a prefix.
Abdul in use
Our data shows Abdul stable, peaking in 2010, at 177 in England and Wales. It first appears in our records in 1996. Abdullah, the complete form meaning servant of God, is separately on this site at 162 — so we hold both the fragment and the whole name.
How popular is Abdul?
In 2025, Abdul was given to 292 babies in England and Wales, ranking #177 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Where Abdul is used
Figures for England and Wales withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year, so a gap means the name fell below that floor rather than went unused. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Abdul
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Abdul also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Abdul over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Abdul
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Abdul in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Arabic
- Abdullah
Sibling names for Abdul
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Abdul — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Abdul
What does the name Abdul mean?
Abdul means "servant of the" — grammatically incomplete without a following name of God.
Is Abdul a full name?
In Arabic, no. It is a prefix requiring a second element, as in Abdulrahman or Abdulaziz. English registers preserved the fragment.
What is the difference between Abdul and Abdullah?
Abdullah is complete — servant of God. Abdul on its own is the opening half of a longer name.
How popular is the name Abdul?
In 2025, Abdul was given to 292 babies in England and Wales, ranking #177 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Is Abdul a girl's or a boy's name?
Abdul is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Abdul?
Abdul has 2 syllables.
When was Abdul most popular?
Abdul peaked in 2010, when 340 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Abdul?
Abdul is usually shortened to Abdi.
Is Abdul a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Abdul currently ranks #177 in England and Wales. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.