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Abdiel

♂ Boy

Pronounced AB-dee-el /ˈæb.di.ɛl/High

Meaning: From Hebrew Avdi'el, composed of eved ('servant') and El ('God'), meaning 'servant of God' or 'worshipper of God'High

In 30 seconds: Abdiel means 'servant of God' — a rare biblical name appearing in 1 Chronicles and memorably in Milton's Paradise Lost. Deeply devout, distinctive, and rising.
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Origin HighHebrew
MeaningFrom Hebrew Avdi'el, composed of eved ('servant') and El ('God'), meaning 'servant of God' or 'worshipper of God'
U.S. rank (2025)#607 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births466 boys (0.03% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2019
Total births (all-time)≈ 7,715

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 201919762025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Abdiel is a Hebrew theophoric name meaning 'servant of God,' from eved ('servant') and El ('God'). It appears in 1 Chronicles 5:15 as the name of a Gadite ancestor. The name gained literary immortality through John Milton's Paradise Lost, where Abdiel is the faithful seraph who alone among the rebel angels returns to God, refusing to follow Satan.

Abdiel remained extremely rare in English use for centuries following Milton, appearing primarily in devout communities. It has grown in the United States since the late 20th century, particularly in Latino Christian communities who discovered it through its biblical roots. It now ranks in the U.S. top 500 boys' names.

Did you know? John Milton made Abdiel a hero in Paradise Lost (1667) — the lone angel who refuses to join Satan's rebellion and returns to God's side — giving this obscure biblical name a powerful literary identity as a symbol of steadfast faithfulness.
Overall data confidence 94%
Behind the Name — Abdiel — etymology and biblical referenceU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

AvdiAbdeel

Nicknames

AbAbi

Famous Bearers

  • ★Abdiel (fictional)
    The lone faithful seraph in John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost who refuses to join Satan's rebellion.

If you like Abdiel…

Eliel— Hebrew theophoric name with the same El-God suffix and biblical rarity
Ezekiel— multi-syllable Hebrew theophoric name with the same devout, rare-biblical character
Nathaniel— four-syllable Hebrew theophoric name with the same scriptural gravitas
Gabriel— three-syllable Hebrew angelic name with the same devout biblical tradition

Frequently Asked

What does the name Abdiel mean?

Abdiel is a Hebrew name meaning 'servant of God,' from eved (servant) and El (God). It appears in 1 Chronicles and in Milton's Paradise Lost.

How do you pronounce Abdiel?

It is said AB-dee-el — three syllables with stress on the first.

Is Abdiel a boy or girl name?

Abdiel is used exclusively as a boys' name.

How popular is Abdiel?

Abdiel ranks in the U.S. top 500 boys' names, popular particularly in devout Christian Latino communities.