Axel (name)

Axel (also "Aksel") is a Scandinavian, German, French, and Dutch masculine given name. In Estonia, Denmark, and Norway the spelling form Aksel is more common. The Finnish form of the name is . A French feminine form is Axelle.
Because the Danish archbishop Absalon (1128–1201) was also known as "Axel of Lund", the name has been interpreted as a corruption of the Hebrew name Absalom. "Axel" arose via "Axelen" from "Absalon", possibly by conflation with the existing name "Askel", "Askil", medieval forms of the Old Norse name "Ásketill", from "ans" "god" and "ketill" "cauldron".