Abel

Abel, the name of Adam and Eve's unfortunate younger son, compensates with positive connotations: capable, competent, ready and willing.

Abel has literary connections to the novels of Dickens and Trollope, and is also one of the few well-known Old Testament names not plagued by overuse. Having been chosen recently for their second son by Amy Pohler and Will Arnett could give it a real popularity bounce.

Abel's ranking at Number 192 on the Most Popular list--the highest it has been since records have been kept--could be due to its popularity in the Hispanic community, where it is pronounced ah-BELL, as it is in France.

Abel's namesakes include two movie directors, Abel Gance and Abel Ferrera.