boy's name
Abdullah
ab-DOOL-la
- Origin Arabic
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 3
- Letters 8
- Popularity Top 1000 (E&W)
- Births on record 22,598
the United States
#765
2025 births
Abdullah is a boy's name of Arabic origin meaning "servant of God." It combines abd, servant, with Allah, and was the name of the Prophet Muhammad's father — who died before his son was born.
- Abdullah is a name of Arabic origin.
- Peaked in US records in 2014, when 413 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade in US records.
- Today about 1 in 1,611 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1947.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Abdullah over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1940s to 2020s. Abdullah is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1940s | 13 |
| 1960s | 52 |
| 1970s | 289 |
| 1980s | 518 |
| 1990s | 1,145 |
| 2000s | 2,128 |
| 2010s | 3,420 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,818 |
What Abdullah means
Abdullah means servant of God, or slave of God. The Arabic abd denotes willing service and devotion rather than bondage, and the construction is regarded as the most fitting of all names in Islamic tradition.
Where Abdullah comes from
Abdullah combines the Arabic ʿabd, servant, with Allah, God. It belongs to a large family of names built the same way — Abdulrahman, servant of the Merciful; Abdulaziz, servant of the Almighty — each pairing abd with one of the ninety-nine names of God. A hadith holds that the names dearest to God are Abdullah and Abdulrahman, which is why both are among the most-given names in the Muslim world. Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib, the Prophet's father, died before his son was born.
Abdullah in use
Our data shows Abdullah stable, peaking in 2014, at 162 in England and Wales. It first appears in our records in 1947. Its British ranking considerably outpaces its American one, the pattern shared by most names in our Arabic cohort.
How popular is Abdullah?
In 2025, Abdullah was given to 327 babies in England and Wales, ranking #162 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Where Abdullah is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Abdullah
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Abdullah also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Abdullah over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
3 nicknames for Abdullah
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.
Abdullah 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.
Sibling names for Abdullah
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Abdullah — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Abdullah
What does the name Abdullah mean?
Abdullah means "servant of God," from the Arabic abd, servant, and Allah.
Who was Abdullah in Islam?
The Prophet Muhammad's father, who died before his son was born.
Why is Abdullah so common?
A hadith holds that the names dearest to God are Abdullah and Abdulrahman, which has made both among the most-given names in the Muslim world.
How popular is the name Abdullah?
In 2025, Abdullah was given to 327 babies in England and Wales, ranking #162 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Is Abdullah a girl's or a boy's name?
Abdullah is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Abdullah?
Abdullah has 3 syllables.
When was Abdullah most popular?
Abdullah peaked in 2014, when 413 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Abdullah?
Abdullah is usually shortened to Abdul, Abdi and Allah.
Is Abdullah a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Abdullah currently ranks #162 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.