Axel (also Aksel) is a Scandinavian, German, French, and Dutch masculine given name. In Estonia, Denmark, and Norway the spelling Aksel is more common.
 
The Finnish form of the name is Akseli. 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/helmet".
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