About the name Abigail
The origin of Abigail is debated, and we couldn't confirm its meaning from a sourced etymology. A commonly cited theory links it to Hebrew roots, with the meaning “My father's joy”. Treat that as a theory, not a settled fact.
Why we say this: we only state a meaning as fact when a sourced etymology (Wiktionary, with its references) supports it. For Abigail we didn't find one we were confident in, so we show the popular explanation as a theory.
It has a classic feel. In 2025, Abigail ranked #41 for girls in the US, with 4,941 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 2003. Since 2000, 100% of US babies named Abigail were girls.
- US rank 2025
- #41
- In 2015
- #7
- Babies in 2025
- 4,941
Popularity of Abigail, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
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Abigail
Your last name
born on your big day
7 LB 4 OZ · 20 IN
The Baby Kit
See Abigail on a birth announcement
Birth announcements, shower invitations, nursery wall art and milestone cards, all personalized with Abigail. Type your details once and print at home or at any print shop.
Nicknames for Abigail
- Abby
- Gail
Names similar to Abigail
- Anita“grace, gracious, graced with child”
- Ana“grace, gracious, graced with child”
- Ann“Grace, favor”
- Anna“Grace, favor”
- Anne“grace, gracious, graced with child”
- Annette“grace, gracious”
- Annie“grace, gracious, graced with child”
- Bethany“house of wretchedness”
- Danielle“God is my judge”
- Isabel“my God is an oath”
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.