Axel
\a.ksɛl\♂French boy's name
A French boy's name of Danish origin, first recorded around Siècle à préciser.
At a glance
| Gender | Masculine |
|---|---|
| Origin | Danish |
| First recorded | Siècle à préciser |
| Pronunciation | \a.ksɛl\ |
Origin and meaning
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.
Where it is mostly given
- France
- Belgium
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- East Frisia
- Germany
- Austria
- Switzerland
- Iceland
- Denmark
Source: Wiktionnaire (CC BY-SA 4.0). Recording: Mecanautes (France), Lingua Libre / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).