Abu

Gender: Boy
Say it: AH-boo
Origin: Arabic
UK rank, 2025: #731 for boys
US rank, 2025: #5,606 for boys

Abu is a boys' name of Arabic origin, meaning “father of”. In 2025 it ranked 731st for boys in the UK (53 babies) and 5,606th for boys in the US (16 babies).

What does Abu mean?

Arabic

“father of”

In Arabic it begins names such as Abu Bakr; it is also used as a short form of Abubakar.

Is Abu a girl's or a boy's name?

Abu is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 53 boys in the UK and 16 boys in the US. Too few girls were given it to be listed.

How popular is Abu in the UK?

Rank in 2025: #731among boys
Babies in 2025: 53about 1 in 5,700 boys
Five-year trend: Steadyup 23% in five years
Same name in a class: under 1%chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 53 boys in the UK were named Abu, making it the 731st most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 700th. Its busiest year was 2014, with 71 boys.

Half of all the boys named Abu in the UK since 1996 were born between 2003 and 2018. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.

Among boys in 2025, it was 679th in England and Wales.

1996Busiest: 71 in 20142025

Abu in the UK, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	53	#731
2024	57	#697
2023	46	#794
2022	40	#863
2021	44	#818
2020	54	#700
2019	39	#859
2018	34	#966
2017	47	#796
2016	40	#863
2015	35	#946
2014	71	#577
2013	44	#797
2012	45	#790
2011	45	#773
2010	36	#883
2009	56	#643
2008	46	#724
2007	40	#765
2006	52	#614
2005	48	#613
2004	41	#649
2003	56	#484
2002	54	#460
2001	44	#519
2000	43	#517
1999	44	#517
1998	41	#525
1997	37	#545
1996	27	#645

How popular is Abu in the US?

Rank in 2025: #5,606among boys
Babies in 2025: 16about 1 in 110,000 boys
Five-year trend: Too rare to calltoo few babies to tell
Same name in a class: under 1%chance among 15 boys

In 2025, 16 boys in the US were named Abu, making it the 5,606th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 8,734th. Its busiest year was 2007, with 17 boys. It first appears in the records in 1971.

2025 had more boys named Abu than any year since 2018.

Half of all the boys named Abu in the US since 1880 were born between 1991 and 2013, the years shaded on the chart below.

1971Busiest: 17 in 20072025

Abu in the US, year by year

Year	Boys	Rank
2025	16	#5,606
2024	10	#7,760
2023	9	#8,250
2022	10	#7,762
2021	7	#9,709
2020	8	#8,734
2019	8	#8,883
2018	16	#5,536
2017	12	#6,681
2016	5	#12,180
2015	7	#9,562
2014	7	#9,636
2013	8	#8,784
2012	11	#7,044
2011	14	#5,939
2010	9	#8,133
2009	14	#6,091
2008	15	#5,762
2007	17	#5,207
2006	15	#5,521
2005	13	#5,869
2004	10	#6,970
2003	9	#7,238
2002	13	#5,388
2001	10	#6,438
2000	13	#5,290
1999	10	#6,036
1998	9	#6,308
1997	13	#4,663
1996	13	#4,606
1995	7	#6,985
1994	0	–
1993	7	#6,809
1992	5	#8,426
1991	9	#5,513
1990	6	#7,171
1989	8	#5,608
1988	9	#4,781
1987	0	–
1986	0	–
1985	7	#5,142
1984	7	#4,969
1983	5	#6,234
1982	6	#5,617
1981	7	#4,959
1980	11	#3,614
1979	8	#4,401
1978	0	–
1977	5	#5,843
1976	7	#4,416
1975	6	#4,795
1974	0	–
1973	9	#3,443
1972	0	–
1971	8	#3,656

Names like Abu

Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.

Ahmed Hamza Muhammad Abdullah Amir Umar Mustafa Musa Azaan Khalid Ammar Zayd

Names related to Abu

More Arabic names

Layla Mohammed Lyla Mohammad Zara Aaliyah Amira Fatima Ali Yahya Zayn Aisha Omar Zahra Kairo Safa

Every Arabic name

Sources

Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.

To cite this page: Nameling, “Abu: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/abu, updated 20 October 2026.