Abner

Abner is a given name and a surname of Hebrew origin. It is the name of Abner (Hebrew: אַבְנֵר ʾAḇnēr, "father of lamp/light") from the Bible (Book of Samuel), first cousin to King Saul and commander-in-chief of his army. In the United States, it was moderately popular as a given name, but declined in the first half of the 20th century, rarely being used for newborns after the 1930s. Other notable people with the name include: Given name Abnér (died 760), Irish abbot Abner of Burgos (c.1270 – c.1347), Jewish philosopher, convert to Christianity and polemical writer against his former religion Abner Biberman (1909–1977), American actor, director and screenwriter Abner Coburn (1803–1885), 30th governor of Maine Abner Cole (1783–1835), American newspaper editor Abner Cook (1814–1884), Texas architect and general contractor Abner Cotto (born 1987), Puerto Rican boxer Abner Dalrymple (1857–1939), American Major League Baseball player Abner Dean (1910–1982), American cartoonist Abner Doble (1890–1961), American mechanical engineer who built and sold steam-powered automobiles Abner Doubleday (1819–1893), American Civil War Union Army general often erroneously credited with inventing baseball Abner Felipe (born 1996), Brazilian footballer Abner C. Harding (1807–1874), member of Congress, U.S. Representative from Illinois and Union Army brigadier general during the American Civil War Abner Haynes (born 1937), American college and American Football League player Abner Hazeltine (1793–1879), American politician, U.S. Representative from New York and lawyer Abner Jay (1921–1993), American multi-instrument musician Abner Jones (1772–1841), minister and early church reformer in the United States Abner Kneeland (1774–1844), American radical evangelist and theologian, the last man jailed in the United States for blasphemy Abner Lacock (1770–1837), American politician, Senator from Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Militia brigadier general, surveyor and civil engineer Abner Lewis (1801–1879), U.S. Representative from New York, judge and attorney Abner Smith Lipscomb (1789–1856), Secretary of State for the Republic of Texas, lawyer and judge Abner Louima (born 1966), Haitian-American victim of police brutality Abner Mares (born 1985), Mexican boxer who won several world championship titles Abner Reid McClelan (1831–1917), Canadian politician Abner J. Mikva (born 1926), American former U.S.