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Abu

Boy name · 3 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Abu: 3 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 3 births in 2011.

Abu is of Arabic origin, meaning “father of,” and traditionally forms part of a kunya, an honorific name used to denote parenthood or a key attribute. Historically, the most famous bearer is Abu Bakr, the close companion and father-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, who became the first caliph of Islam. The name also appears in the place name Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, which translates as “father of the gazelle.” Though rare in Scotland, Abu has been chosen by families of Muslim heritage, often paired with a given name to create a respectful teknonym. A notable variant is Abou, a French-influenced spelling found across North Africa and the Middle East.

Boy 1 of 52 years

Peak year
20113 babies
Latest (2011)
#6483 babies
Total births
3since 2011
5-year trend
≈ stablevs prior 5y
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2011 · 3
Births per year in Scotland. Missing years had a count of 2 or fewer (suppressed by NRS).