ABEL (Αβελ).  Biblical.  The Greek form of Hebrew Hebhel (הֶבֶל), meaning "breath, vapor"; "transitoriness."  In wide use, even occurring in Africa.  Usage: America, Australia, Denmark, England, France, Holland, Kenya, Rohdesia, Zimbabwe.

ABEL... 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... (Praenomina, Charnock, 1882)

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. (History of Christian Names, Yonge, 1884)

ABEL.  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). (The Sunday School Teacher's Bible Manual, Hunter, 1894)