Time for another “Name I Feel Like I Made Up, But Likely Didn’t: Abelson. It’s not even in my book of 50,001 baby names, which stretches (“Must! reach! 50,000! mark!”) to include such names as Eleven and Eccentricity and Ecru.
The name Abel is so great: strong but gentle, and a pleasing word association with “able”. Plus, he was the nice brother of the Cain and Abel scandal. Unfortunately, the Cain-‘n’-Abel thing is kind of hard to beat, nice brother or not—especially for someone who has a brother. The “Am I my brother’s keeper?” joke is likely to get old.
How about THIS, though: Abelson. It’s got the Abel part, plus it’s a surname name. It has the sound of a name of old standing (even though I’m pretty sure it isn’t), rather than of a modern invented name. It’s strongly boyish, but without sounding overly tough-guy.
Abelson is a surname, and according to a Wikipedia article:
“Abelson, originating from both Swedish and Yiddish, and derived from the name Abel…”
I don’t like the name Abel (are you able to ____?) and find Abelson as a given name no improvement at all.
And most likely someone named Abelson would be called “Abel” at least some of the time anyway.
Plus I’m such a traditionalist when it comes to names that I prefer names in their most usual form and love the history that goes with classic names.
I think there are plenty of other biblical names in popular use right now, so that Abel can either stand on ‘his’ on or not at all.
Just my thoughts…
Hm, I’m not really a fan. But that’s totally personal preference because I tend to like more traditional/popular names, and am not necessarily a “surname for a first name” person (although there are some I do like).
I’m also not a fan of Gable or similar or Abe or similar, so I think the name Abel wrecks this for me, it’s just not a name I like.
So, totally personal preference, but Abelson definitely not for me.
(PS – I love these posts, weighing in on different types of names, they’re very fun!)
Amy no likey.
for some reason this reminds me of a step cousin I had for a short time. His name was Cable. And I always thought of it as a combination of Cain and Abel. Abelson is okay, better than some names I’ve heard, but I would not consider it for my child.
I’m not really a fan. I just don’t think it rolls off the tongue. I have a “call test” with names, where I imagine calling out the name to some child on the playground, and I feel awkward calling out Abelson.
I agree with Anonymous that it would probably get shortened to Abel anyway. Normally, I’m one who likes to use the formal version on the birth certificate, but only when the formal version is the older more established name. Since Abel is a Biblical name with some history, why not just use Abel on the birth certificate?
What about Cain? No one names their kid Cain or Kane, do they? Are we so puritanical, we can’t get past the association? Is it like naming your kid Lucifer?
Not a fan for two reasons:
1. I just hate long A sounds at the beginning of a name, and
2. Not into the surname thing.
Abel by itself I don’t love aside from the long A thing because the ending sounds like “bull” Abull, just not attractive to say. I think the idea of it is good though, as long as you are into surnames. Definitely boyish, but I would imagine a bit of a nerd.
Pretty late to the party on this one, but I’ve been perusing the archives and I couldn’t resist.
I’m shocked that all the commenters don’t like Abelson.
I think it is terrific. I think it lends strength and stability to a pretty darn good, but underused, name: Abel.
I think it is great that you could call him Abel. I also think it is fantastic that he could be Abe, a nn I love–but less fond of Abraham.
I absolutely added this to my boy list. Thanks, Swistle!