Name
Abigail
Meaning
Abigail is a feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning “my father is joy”.
Abigail comes from the Hebrew Avigayil, my father is joy, and the biblical Abigail talked David out of vengeance with such grace that she became a byword for wise beauty. Colonial America loved the name, First Lady Abigail Adams ennobled it, and Abby keeps it approachable today.
A US top-100 girls' name continuously since the late 1980s.
Popularity in the United States
Girls
Ranked #41 in 2025 · peak #4 in 2005
Data: US Social Security Administration, top-1000 ranks.
At a glance
- Origin
- Hebrew
- Gender
- Feminine
- Pronounced
- /AB-ih-gayl/
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Questions
Abigail is a feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning “my father is joy”. Abigail comes from the Hebrew Avigayil, my father is joy, and the biblical Abigail talked David out of vengeance with such grace that she became a byword for wise beauty.
Abigail is traditionally a feminine (girl) name. It is a US top-100 girls' name continuously since the late 1980s.
The name Abigail comes from Hebrew. Abigail comes from the Hebrew Avigayil, my father is joy, and the biblical Abigail talked David out of vengeance with such grace that she became a byword for wise beauty. Colonial America loved the name, First Lady Abigail Adams ennobled it, and Abby keeps it approachable today.
Abigail is pronounced AB-ih-gayl.
More names that mean joy
Names that share this meaning.