Absalom

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Absalom

Gender: Masculine
Language: English
Etymology:
Absalom is the English form of a Hebrew name meaning “Father of Peace.”

History:
Absalom (a son of David) is one of the few Biblical names that can be found in England in the 12th and 13th centuries. However, by the 14th century, Absalom had almost completely died out (except in literature and in Scandinavia, where it was Axel). Even the Puritans, with their love of Biblical names, avoided Absalom.

Pronunciation: ab-sall-om.

Alternates: Ahsalom, Aksel, Avsalom.
French: Absalon.
German: Apsel, Axel.
Scandinavian: Axel.
Swedish: Acke, Axel.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Aksel Sadnemose (1899-1965)
Danish-Norwegian novelist.

Educators, Scholar, and Social Workers:
Absalon Pederssøn Beyer (1528-1575)
Norwegian scholar.
Axel Olof Freudenthal (1836-1911)
Swedish philologist.
Axel Hägerström (1868-1939)
Swedish philosopher.
Axel Brusewitz (1881-1950)
Swedish political scientist.

Miscellaneous:
Axel Ludvig Brostrom (1838-1905)
Swedish capitalist.
Axel Leonard Wenner-Gren (1881-1961)
Swedish industrialist.
Axel Springer (1912-1985)
German publisher.

Political Figures:
Axel (Absalon) (1128-1201)
Founder of Copenhagen, Denmark. An advisor to Danish kings.
Axel, Greve Oxenstierna (1583-1654)
Swedish chancellor.

Religious Figures:
Absalom (Biblical)
The favorite son of King David.

Scientists:
Axel Frederik, Baron Cronstedt (1722-1765)
Swedish metallurgist.
Axel Munthe (1857-1949)
Swedish physician.
Axel Theorell (1903-1982)
Swedish biochemist. Winner of the 1955 Nobel Prize for Medicine or Philology.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
less than 0.004 % named Absalom, Axel, etc.

Popularity of Absalom:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-2000: N/A

Popularity of Axel:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1910: 523rd most popular.
1910-1920: 890th most popular.
1920-1960: N/A
1960-1970: 964th most popular.
1970-1980: 863rd most popular.
1980-1990: 977th most popular.
1990: 763rd most popular.
1991: 643rd most popular.
1992: 682nd most popular.
1993: 677th most popular.
1994: 698th most popular.
1995: 680th most popular.
1996: 627th most popular.
1997: 619th most popular.
1998: 603rd most popular.
1999: 627th most popular.
2000: 332nd most popular.
2001: 247th most popular.
2002: 298th most popular.
2003: 333rd most popular.