What does ABA stand for? The answer depends on where you see it. On a check, a wire form or a direct deposit sheet, ABA stands for the American Bankers Association, the group behind the nine-digit ABA routing number. In law, it means the American Bar Association. In health care and schools, it usually means applied behavior analysis, a type of therapy.
Whichever meaning applies, you pronounce it "A B A." Nearby words, such as routing, law school or therapy, usually settle the question, and each meaning gets its own section below.
Quick facts
Banking
American Bankers AssociationLaw
American Bar AssociationTherapy
Applied behavior analysisType
InitialismHow to say it
A B ASeen on
Checks, wire forms, law school pages, therapy plans
ABA stands for different things by field
| Field | Stands for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Banking | American Bankers Association | "Enter your ABA routing number." |
| Law | American Bar Association | "An ABA approved law school" |
| Health and education | Applied behavior analysis | "Her son gets ABA therapy twice a week." |
| Sports history | American Basketball Association | A pro league that ran from 1967 to 1976 |
| Books | American Booksellers Association | A trade group for independent bookstores |
The first three cover nearly every search. The sports and books meanings mostly turn up in history and trade news.
What does ABA stand for in banking?
In banking, ABA stands for the American Bankers Association, a trade group for US banks. In 1910 it created the system of routing numbers used to identify banks, which is why you still see the term ABA routing number or ABA number. The number is also called a routing transit number.
A wire transfer form: "Receiving bank ABA: (nine digits)." The bank wants the routing number for the bank that will receive the money, not your account number.
The routing number has nine digits and appears at the bottom left of a paper check, before the account number. It identifies the bank, not the person. Payments sent through the ACH network and many wire transfers both depend on it. Some banks use one routing number for ACH and a different one for wires, so check before you send.
ABA in law: the American Bar Association
The American Bar Association is a national group of lawyers founded in 1878. It is a voluntary professional association, not a government agency, and it does not issue law licenses. Those come from each state.
The ABA is best known for accrediting law schools and for publishing model rules on lawyer ethics that many states use as a starting point. When a school page says "ABA approved," it means the school meets the association's standards, which matters in most states for taking the bar exam. Law school degrees are covered on the JD page.
ABA therapy: applied behavior analysis
In clinics and schools, ABA means applied behavior analysis. It is an approach that studies how behavior is shaped by what comes before and after it, and uses that to teach skills step by step. It is widely used with children on the autism spectrum to build communication, daily living and social skills.
ABA programs are often led by a board certified behavior analyst and may be part of a child's school plan, such as an IEP. Families and professionals hold a range of views on how it should be used, and programs vary a great deal.
How to say and write ABA
Say each letter: "A B A." Capital letters, no dots. Say "an ABA number" or "an ABA program," with an rather than a. Formal writing gives the whole name once before switching to the letters.
Because the same three letters can mean very different things, it helps to add a clue word: ABA routing number, ABA law school, ABA therapy. For more on why ABA counts as an initialism, read acronym vs abbreviation.
ABA acronym look-alikes
- ABA routing numbers are not the same as SWIFT codes, which identify banks for international transfers.
- ACH is the network that moves the payment, while ABA is the number that says which bank.
- ADA is the Americans with Disabilities Act, a law, and is easy to mistype as ABA.
- AAA is a motor club, not a bank group.
More money terms are gathered on the business acronyms hub.
Questions people ask
What does ABA stand for on a bank form?
It stands for American Bankers Association. On a form, it asks for the bank's nine-digit routing number.
Is an ABA number the same as a routing number?
Yes. ABA number, ABA routing number and routing transit number all refer to the same nine digits that identify a US bank.
What does ABA stand for in therapy?
It stands for applied behavior analysis, a method of teaching skills by looking at what comes before and after a behavior. It is often used with autistic children.
What does ABA stand for in law?
It stands for the American Bar Association, a national association of lawyers that accredits law schools and writes model ethics rules.
Is ABA an acronym?
Technically ABA counts as an initialism, given that you voice all three letters. In casual talk it often gets called an acronym too.