Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Abraham

Abraham is a Biblical name borne by the first of the Jewish patriarchs with whom God made a covenant in Genesis 15 promising a multitude of descendents (as many as the stars) and “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates” – the land of Canaan (present day Israel) “for an everlasting possession.” In Genesis 17:5 God says “No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.” This explains the meaning of Abraham’s name. The Hebrew ʼaḇ-rabin translates to ‘father of a multitude.’ As the Old Testament progresses, Abraham becomes the father of Isaac and the grandfather to Jacob and Esau. Jacob goes onto have 12 sons who became the Tribes of Israel. By virtue of the abundant procreation we witness in the Bible, it’s fair to say that God held up His promise that Abraham would become ‘the father of a multitude of nations.’ For obvious reasons, the name Abraham has been a popular choice among Jewish people, but it was also adopted by the Puritans during the Reformation in the 16th century.

All About the Baby Name – Abraham

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME ABRAHAM

The number Eight personality has everything to do with power, wealth and abundance. Somehow, this personality has been blessed on the material plane, but their authoritative and problem-solving traits provide evidence that their good fortunes are not just the luck of the lottery. They are well earned. This is the personality of CEOs and high-ranking military personnel. Eights are intensely active, hard-driving individuals. Success is only meaningful to them after a job well-done.  They are remarkable in their ability to see the larger picture right down to the smallest details, and organize a strategy around success. They then have the ability to direct a group around them toward any goal, and realize individual potential to get the most out of their team.

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME ABRAHAM

The name Abraham has never been ϋber-popular in the United States, but it has maintained constant and moderate usage over the past century. Oddly enough, the name has never reached the Top 100 list. The height of its popularity came in the early 1900s when Abraham reached its peak position at #124 (1911). Perhaps considered too distinctly Jewish for some Christian tastes, the name has now crossed over more into the mainstream. Christian fundamentalists (Puritans, Quakers) always took a liking to this name and helped spread it outside of the Jewish faith. Adding to its appeal is America’s 16th President, Abraham Lincoln (a great namesake for any little Abraham out there). Lastly, there is a current naming trend in the United States going ga-ga over some of the more exotic Old Testament names (Noah, Elijah, Caleb, Isaac, Isaiah, and Levi for example). Abraham has not achieved the same level of success as these other names, but he is nonetheless climbing the charts if ever so slowly. After all, he is the ‘father’ of all names. Not surprisingly, Abraham has already made the Top 100 list of favorite boy names in New York, a state which also happens to have the highest Jewish population outside of Israel.

Quick Facts

ON ABRAHAM

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

Hebrew

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

3

RANKING POPULARITY:

183

PRONUNCIATION:

AY-brә-ham

SIMPLE MEANING:

Father of a multitude (of nations)

Characteristics

OF ABRAHAM

Authoritative

Powerful

Tough

Tenacious

Wealthy

Problem-solver

Achiever

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Abraham

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME ABRAHAM

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME ABRAHAM

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Abraham


Popular Songs

ON ABRAHAM

Abraham's Theme
a song by Vangelis from the movie Chariots of Fire

Abraham Martin and John
a song by Smokey Robinson

Abraham, Martin and John
a song by Emmylou Harris

Abraham, Martin, and John
a song by Harry Belafonte

Children of Abraham
a song by Arlo Guthrie

Bosom of Abraham
a song by Elvis Presley

Abraham's Memory
a song by Celine Dion

Abraham
a song by Eddie From Ohio

Famous People

NAMED ABRAHAM

Abraham Lincoln (U.S. President)
Abraham Beame (first Jewish mayor of New York City)
Abraham "Bram" Stoker (novelist, best known for Dracula)

Children of Famous People

NAMED ABRAHAM

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Abraham

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME ABRAHAM

This American icon truly transcended the Presidency. Known as "The Great Emancipator" Lincoln basically preserved and restored our Union and finally put an end to this nation's greatest shame: slavery. Magnetic and powerful, Lincoln was either loved or hated - yet "Honest Abe" stood fast to his ideals and rose to the occasion. He was ambitious, decisive, humorous, and even vain. A man obsessed with military strategy and in love with the game of politics, he was a brilliant public speaker. Even after the South was defeated in the Civil War, Lincoln showed no malice or signs of vindictiveness. His second term would have focused on a nation that needed to heal itself, but his life was cut short on April 14, 1865 when Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth assassinated the greatest President who ever lived. Apropos, Abraham is a Hebrew name meaning "Father of a multitude (of nations)". Lincoln, which is also a widely used male name in America in homage to this great man, is a surname of Celtic origin meaning "lake settlement". A woman of history in her own right, the very vivacious and impulsive Mary Todd Lincoln was Abe's First Lady.

This American icon truly transcended the Presidency. Known as "The Great Emancipator" Lincoln basically preserved and restored our Union and finally put an end to this nation's greatest shame: slavery. Magnetic and powerful, Lincoln was either loved or hated - yet "Honest Abe" stood fast to his ideals and rose to the occasion. He was ambitious, decisive, humorous, and even vain. A man obsessed with military strategy and in love with the game of politics, he was a brilliant public speaker. Even after the South was defeated in the Civil War, Lincoln showed no malice or signs of vindictiveness. His second term would have focused on a nation that needed to heal itself, but his life was cut short on April 14, 1865 when Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth assassinated the greatest President who ever lived. Apropos, Abraham is a Hebrew name meaning "Father of a multitude (of nations)". Lincoln, which is also a widely used male name in America in homage to this great man, is a surname of Celtic origin meaning "lake settlement". A woman of history in her own right, the very vivacious and impulsive Mary Todd Lincoln was Abe's First Lady.