The sound of the original word was more like Hebel, but through the Greek (Αβελ) we receive it as Abel.
     It is not absolutely a modern Puritan name, for an Abel existed in Essex in the time of Henry III. (Yonge)

The second son of Adam, and by calling a shepherd.  He offered to God a lamb from his flock, which was accepted.  When New Testament light is thrown upon the incident, it is considered that his sacrifice implied a confession that he was a sinner, an admission that the wages of sin is death, a prayer to God that the death of the innocent lamb might be accepted as an atonement for the sins of the offerer (cf. John 1:29).  Cain's offering, which was of a different nature, being rejected, he, at the promptings of envy against his brother, whose sacrifice had been accepted, became his murderer (Gen. 4:1-16).  We learn from the New Testament that Abel's animating motive was faith (Heb. 11:4). (Hunter)

Gesenius renders the name 'breath,' and says the son of Adam was probably so called from the shortness of his life; but, as Tregelles remarks, he had this name from his birth. (Charnock)