Axel

See also: axel

English

Etymology

From Danish Aksel, first used for the bishop and statesman Absalon Hvide (1128–1201), from biblical Absalom. Some sources suggest that the bishop was originally named Áskell, from Old Norse "god" + "cauldron, helmet", and Absalon was chosen as the nearest-sounding Christian equivalent, leading to the exchange of the middle consonants.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈæk.səl/
• Homophones: axel, axil, axle

Proper noun

Axel (plural Axels)

1. A male given name from the Germanic languages in quiet use since the 19th century.
   • 2024 August 1, Josh Halliday, Neha Gohil, “Police in England urged to protect mosques as far right plans more rallies”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian‎^[1], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 18 October 2026:

     The riots began after misinformation circulated widely online about the identity and motives of the suspect in the Southport murders, who was named on Thursday as 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana. The media had been unable to name the teenager, who was born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents, because he is under 18.

2. A surname.

Derived terms

• Axel Heiberg Island

Translations

male given name

• Danish: Aksel (da), Axel
• Estonian: Aksel (et)
• Faroese: Áskil m, Aksal m, Aksel m
• Finnish: Akseli (fi)
• French: Axel (fr)
• German: Axel (de)
• Greek: Άξελος (Áxelos)
• Japanese: アクセル (ja) (Akuseru)
• Marathi: अ‍ॅक्सल m (a‍ĕksal)
• Norwegian: Aksel (no), Axel (no)
• Russian: А́ксель (ru) m (Ákselʹ)
• Swedish: Axel (sv)

Statistics

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Axel is the 33941^st most common surname in the United States, belonging to 670 individuals. Axel is most common among White (68.81%) and Black/African American (23.43%) individuals.

Anagrams

• Alex, Lexa, axle

Cebuano

Etymology

Etymology tree

Danish Aksel

English Axelder.

Cebuano Axel

Derived from English Axel, from Danish Aksel.

Proper noun

Axel

1. a male given name from the Germanic languages

Danish

Proper noun

Axel

1. a male given name, variant of Aksel

References

• [2] Danskernes Navne, based on CPR data: 15 602 males with the given name Axel (compared to 20 269 named Aksel) have been registered in Denmark between about 1890 (=the population alive in 1967) and January 2005, with the frequency peak in the 1900s decade. Accessed on 19 June 2011.

Dutch

Etymology

First attested as axla in 987-994. Etymology uncertain. Various compound derivations from a first element and lo (“light forest”) have been proposed, but none of these match the oldest attestations. Potentially derived from a term cognate to Old Norse öxull (“shoulder”), Old High German ahsala (“shoulder”), here referring to an elevated location.

See also Zealandic Aksel.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɑk.səl/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Axel
• Rhymes: -ɑksəl

Proper noun

Axel n

1. a city and former municipality of Terneuzen, Zeeland, Netherlands

Derived terms

• Axelaar
• Axels

References

• van Berkel, Gerard; Samplonius, Kees (2018), “Axel”, in Nederlandse plaatsnamen verklaard‎^[3] (in Dutch), Mijnbestseller.nl, →ISBN

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ak.sɛl/

• Audio (France (Toulouse)):

  (file)

• Audio (France):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Somain)):

  (file)

Proper noun

Axel m

1. a male given name from Danish

Related terms

• Axelle

Anagrams

• Alex

German

Etymology

From Danish Aksel, a vernacular form of Absalom.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈaksl̩/

• Audio (Germany (Berlin)):

  (file)

• Homophone: Achsel

Proper noun

Axel

1. a male given name from Danish

Further reading

• “Axel”, in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache‎^[4] (in German)
• “Axel” in Duden online

Norwegian

Proper noun

Axel

1. a male given name of Danish origin, more often spelled Aksel

Pennsylvania German

Etymology

Compare Swedish axel.

Noun

Axel f

1. shoulder

Swedish

Etymology

From Danish Aksel, Axel. First recorded as a given name in Sweden in 1371.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /¹aksɛl/

• Audio:

  (file)

Proper noun

Axel c (genitive Axels)

1. a male given name

Related terms

• (surnames) Axelsson

References

• Roland Otterbjörk: Svenska förnamn, Almqvist & Wiksell 1996, →ISBN
• [5] Statistiska centralbyrån and Sture Allén, Staffan Wåhlin, Förnamnsboken, Norstedts 1995, →ISBN: 56 075 males with the given name Axel (compared to 1 446 named Aksel) living in Sweden on December 31st, 2010, with the frequency peak in the 1910s. Accessed on 19 June 2011.

Anagrams

• Alex