Axel is the Scandinavian form of the Hebrew Absalom and means "my father is peace" or "father of peace". It has been a common name in Denmark and Sweden since the Middle Ages, and Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose and the Beverly Hills Cop hero Axel Foley gave it a rock-and-roll edge in America. Axel ranked number 361 in the United States in 2000, climbed from number 123 in 2015 into the top 100 in 2018, peaked at number 71 in 2023 and ranks number 79 among boys in 2025.