The story behind Abraham
Middle English Abraham English Abraham From Middle English Abraham, from Old English Abraham, from Late Latin Ābrahām, from Ancient Greek Ἀβρᾱᾱ́μ (Abrāā́m), from Hebrew אַבְרָהָם ('aḇrāhām, “Abraham”). Thomas L. Thompson suggests that the meaning of the name in Genesis was forgotten due to its age and that its original meaning was "Father is exalted." Glossed as אַב (aḇ, “father of”) + הֲמוֹן (hăˈmōn, “multitude of”) in Genesis 17:4–5; or from Hebrew אַבְרָם ('aḇrām, “Abram”). Doublet of Ibrahim and Avraham.
Other language forms and explanations (10)
Czech entry
a male given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Abraham
Dutch entry
Ultimately from Latin Ābrahām, from Ancient Greek Ἀβραάμ (Abraám), from Biblical Hebrew אַבְרָהָם.
French entry
From Latin Ābrahām.
German entry
Learned borrowing from Late Latin Ābraham, from Ancient Greek Ἀβραάμ (Abraám), from Hebrew אַבְרָהָם (aḇrāˈhām, “Abraham”).
Polish entry
a male given name from Late Latin [in turn from Ancient Greek, in turn from Hebrew], equivalent to English Abraham
Spanish entry
Inherited from Latin Abraham, from Ancient Greek Ἀβρᾱᾱ́μ (Abrāā́m), from Biblical Hebrew אַבְרָהָם (ʔaḇrɔhɔm).
Catalan entry
Learned borrowing from Late Latin Ābrahām, from Ancient Greek Ἀβρᾱᾱ́μ (Abrāā́m), from Hebrew אַבְרָהָם ('aḇrāhām, “Abraham”).
Maltese entry
Borrowed from Italian Abramo, from Latin Ābrahām, from Ancient Greek Ἀβραάμ (Abraám), from Hebrew אַבְרָהָם (ʾaḇrāhām). The insertion of the mute -h- in the spelling directly after the Hebrew form; compare Għesaw (“Esau”).
Indonesian entry
Ultimately from Latin Ābrahām, from Ancient Greek Ἀβραάμ (Abraám), from Biblical Hebrew אַבְרָהָם. Doublet of Ibrahim.
Tagalog entry
Borrowed from Spanish Abraham with the silent /h/ pronounced, ultimately from Hebrew אַבְרָהָם ('aḇrāhām, “Abraham”). Doublet of Ibrahim.
Pronunciation
US: /ˈeɪ.bɹəˌhæm/
Regional pronunciation variants
- Received-Pronunciation: /ˈeɪ.bɹə.hæm/
- Received-Pronunciation: /ˈeɪ.bɹə.həm/
- US: /ˈeɪ.bɹə.həm/
- poetic: /ˈeɪ.bɹæm/
- Czech: [ˈabraɦam]
- Dutch: /ˈaː.braːˌɦɑm/
- French: /a.bʁa.am/
- German: /ˈaːbʁaˌha(ː)m/
- German: /ˈaːbʁa(ː)m/
- Polish: /aˈbra.xam/
- Spanish: /abɾaˈam/
- Spanish: [a.β̞ɾaˈãm]
- Catalan; Central; Northern: [ə.βɾəˈam]
- Catalan; Balearic: [ə.bɾəˈam]
- Catalan; Valencia: [a.bɾaˈam]
- Catalan; Northwestern: [a.βɾaˈam]
- Maltese: /abˈraːm/
- Indonesian; Standard-Indonesian: /aˈbraham/
- Indonesian; Standard-Indonesian: [aˈbra.ham]
- Tagalog; Standard-Tagalog: /ʔabɾaˈham/
- Tagalog; Standard-Tagalog: [ʔɐ.bɾɐˈham]
Popularity
Abraham ranked #209 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Abraham
Aabraham
From Biblical Hebrew אברהם ('aḇrāhām), of Biblical origin.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- same syllable count
- similar length
Abrahám
a male given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Abraham
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- same syllable count
- similar length
Ábrahám
Borrowed from Latin Abraham, from Ancient Greek Ἀβρᾱᾱ́μ (Abrāā́m), from Biblical Hebrew אַבְרָהָם (ʔaḇrɔhɔm).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- same syllable count
- similar length
Absalom
From Hebrew אַבְשָׁלוֹם (avshalóm, literally “father of peace”), from אָב (av, “father”) + שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace”). Learned borrowing from Latin Absālōm, from Hebrew…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- same syllable count
- similar length
Avraham
Transliteration of Hebrew אַבְרָהָם.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- same syllable count
- similar length
Gymnasium
Borrowed from Ancient Greek Γυμνάσιον (Gumnásion, diminutive of Γυμνάς (Gumnás)).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Abraham
Aamos
Ultimately from Biblical Hebrew עמוס (Amos).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends S
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Aarão
From Latin Aarōn, from Hebrew אַהֲרֹן ('aharón). Doublet of Faro.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Aaron
From Latin Aaron, from Ancient Greek Ἀαρών (Aarṓn), from Hebrew אַהֲרֹן (ʾAhărōn), of unknown meaning, possibly meaning “bearer of martyrs”, or perhaps also, or instead,…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Abraham
Bairbre
From Latin Barbara (name of a legendary saint), feminine form of barbarus, from Ancient Greek βάρβαρος (bárbaros, “strange, foreign”). Cognate with Scottish Gaelic Barabal and…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends E
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Balbina
Learned borrowing from Latin Balbina.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Balbino
Borrowed from Latin Balbīnus.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends O
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length