Girl name · Hebrew
Abigail
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: my father is joyAbigail is a girl's name that comes from Hebrew and means "my father is joy". It is used in English and Spanish.
- Meaning
- My father is joy
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #41 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Abigail
As a girl's name, Abigail comes from Hebrew and means "my father is joy". It is used in English and Spanish.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Abigail on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Abigail on 3 lists.
“My father is joy; Hebrew. Wise wife of David, 1 Samuel”
From Biblical names, female biblical names
“My father is joy; Hebrew. Biblical and bright”
From Girl middle names, classic girl middle names
“My father is joy; Hebrew. A wise wife of King David”
From Mexican girl names, mexican girl names from the Bible
How popular is Abigail?
- US rank in 2025
- #41
- 4,941 babies, 3,074 per million girls
- Best rank
- #4 in 2005
- Most babies: 15,932 in 2003
- Babies since 1880
- At least 413,263
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 101 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 58 per million |
| 1900s | 46 per million |
| 1910s | 33 per million |
| 1920s | 27 per million |
| 1930s | 34 per million |
| 1940s | 45 per million |
| 1950s | 87 per million |
| 1960s | 132 per million |
| 1970s | 434 per million |
| 1980s | 1,203 per million |
| 1990s | 4,042 per million |
| 2000s | 8,168 per million |
| 2010s | 6,784 per million |
| 2020s | 3,842 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8 | #10 | #11 | #11 | #12 | #17 | #24 | #31 | #32 | #41 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Abigail
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Abbycommon English nickname
- Gailthe stressed second syllable of Abigail
Other forms of Abigail
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- AbaigealMy father is joy (Hebrew, girl)
- ApikaliaMy father is joy (Hebrew, girl)
- AvigailMy father is joy (Hebrew, girl)
- GayleMy father is joy (Hebrew, girl)
Names spelled like Abigail
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- AbihailMy father is strength (Hebrew, unisex)
- AbitalMy father is dew (Hebrew, girl)
Names with a similar meaning
- AxelMy father is peace (Hebrew, boy)
- IbrahimFather of many nations (Hebrew, boy)
- AbrahamFather of many (Hebrew, boy)
- AbnerMy father is light (Hebrew, boy)
- AbramHigh father (Hebrew, boy)
- BramFather of many (Hebrew, boy)
- CleopatraGlory of the father (Greek, girl)
- FarahJoy, happiness (Arabic, girl)
- LetiziaJoy, gladness (Latin, girl)
- AbeFather of many (Hebrew, boy)
Middle names for Abigail
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Hebrew
- AnnaFavor, grace (Hebrew, girl)
- EvaLiving, life (Hebrew, girl)
- MiriamForm of Mary, meaning uncertain; perhaps Egyptian beloved (Hebrew, girl)
- SarahPrincess, noblewoman (Hebrew, girl)
- EliseGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- LisaGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- AnneFavor, grace (Hebrew, girl)
- DanielaGod is my judge (Hebrew, girl)
- ElsaGod is my oath (Hebrew, girl)
- HannahFavor, grace (Hebrew, girl)
Abigail: common questions
What does the name Abigail mean?
Abigail comes from Hebrew and means "my father is joy".
Is Abigail a boy or girl name?
Abigail is mainly a girl's name.
What are nicknames for Abigail?
Common nicknames for Abigail include Abby and Gail.
How popular is the name Abigail?
Abigail ranked #41 in the US in 2025, with 4,941 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Abigail?
Forms of Abigail with the same meaning and origin include Abaigeal (Irish), Apikalia (Hawaiian), Avigail (Hebrew) and Gayle (English).
What middle names go with Abigail?
Middle names that flow well with Abigail include Briar, Faith, Gwen, Honor and Joan. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.