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Abigail as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Abigail

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The baby name Abigail is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈæbɪɡeɪl/ (AB-i-gayl).

Abigail is Hebrew in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 3.0
Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: /ˈæbɪɡeɪl/ (AB-i-gayl)

What is the meaning of the name Abigail ?

The baby name Abigail is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈæbɪɡeɪl/ (AB-i-gayl).

Abigail is Hebrew in Origin.

Abigail derives from Hebrew Avigayil (אֲבִיגַיִל), combining avi, “my father,” and gil, “joy, rejoicing,” hence “my father is joy” or “father’s delight.” In the Hebrew Bible, Abigail - renowned for prudence and eloquence - intervenes to avert bloodshed and later becomes King David’s wife after Nabal’s death; another bearer is the mother of Amasa. The name entered Latin and then English with little change.

Adopted enthusiastically by English Puritans in the 17th century, it took on virtuous associations and even became a colloquial term for a lady’s maid in the 1700s. Usage dipped in the 19th–20th centuries but rebounded strongly from the 1990s, reaching top-10 status in the United States in the 2000s. Familiar diminutives include Abby, Abbie, Abi, and Gail. International forms span Avigail (Hebrew/Israeli), Abigael (Danish/Norwegian), Abigaïl (French), Abigaíl (Spanish), and creative English spellings such as Abbigail and Abbygail.

Abigail has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Abigail

Abigail Adams Politician · Born 1744 · United States Abigail Adams is best known as the wife and close advisor of John Adams, the second U.S. president, and as the mother of John Quincy Adams, the sixth president. Born Abigail Smith, she was an influential early American first lady known for her thoughtful letters and political insight. Abigail Breslin Actor · Born 1996 · United States Abigail Breslin is an American actress best known for playing Olive Hoover in Little Miss Sunshine. She first became widely recognized for that role at age 10, which earned her an Academy Award nomination, and she has also appeared in films like Zombieland and August: Osage County. Abigail Fillmore Politician · Born 1798 · United States Abigail Fillmore is best known as the first lady of the United States from 1850 to 1853, as the wife of President Millard Fillmore. Born Abigail Powers, she worked as a schoolteacher from age 16 and taught Millard Fillmore, who was two years younger than she was.
Abigail Spencer Actor · Born 1981 · United States Abigail Spencer is an American actress best known for roles in Timeless, Rectify, and Suits. She first gained attention playing Rebecca Tyree on All My Children before starring in the series Angela's Eyes. Abbe Lane Actor · Born 1932 · United States Abbe Lane is an American singer and actress best known for her sultry performance style and glamorous, revealing stage presence in the 1950s and 1960s. Born Abigail Francine Lassman, she became a familiar nightclub and television performer during that era.

Celebrity babies named Abigail

Name Last Name(s) Mother Mother famous for Fame Level Father Father famous for Fame Level
Abigail Hopkins Anthony Hopkins film director ★★★★★

Abigail – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2025 #1 — 874
Germany Girls 2025 #1 — 411
GH Girls 0 #4 3,131 6,973
BW 0 #15 5 960
SV Girls 0 #18 1 458
HN 0 #19 4 704
GH 0 #22 553 5,396
Canada Girls 2024 #25 597 2,795
New Zealand Girls 2010 #29 113 98
HN Girls 0 #30 9 884
NA 0 #31 3 2,537
United States Girls 2024 #32 5,499 8,487
BN 0 #32 1 2,297
MV Girls 0 #34 2 2,021
MT 0 #40 4 1,767
BW Girls 0 #43 120 4,216
MO 0 #49 4 2,706
HN Boys 0 #52 1 749
PR 0 #54 2 1,497
CM 0 #56 1 2,592
LU 0 #66 1 2,830
MT Girls 0 #66 90 3,773
NG Girls 0 #66 4,478 15,093
JM 0 #70 18 3,714
PH 0 #70 27 5,607
IN 0 #71 1 2,963
AO 0 #76 2 2,729
JP 0 #76 2 4,057
CN 0 #83 4 3,857
JM Girls 0 #84 248 7,507
PR Girls 0 #96 68 3,171
ID Girls 0 #100 3 3,319
BO Girls 0 #101 2,003 9,488
TW 0 #101 3 4,523
EC 0 #103 13 2,502
MX Girls 0 #104 8,945 17,781
QA 0 #105 2 7,011
BN Girls 0 #109 6 5,459
Norway Girls 2025 #113 14 453
Switzerland Girls 2024 #117 19 1,786
PA 0 #118 13 3,797
OM 0 #120 2 6,215
KW 0 #121 1 5,216
CY Girls 0 #123 3 3,755
GT Girls 0 #124 730 7,500
EC Girls 0 #133 113 3,650
CR 0 #135 24 5,526
ZA Girls 0 #142 4,059 25,928
NA Girls 0 #152 73 7,146
BW Boys 0 #153 2 4,685
Sweden Girls 2022 #157 23 1,568
PA Girls 0 #161 485 9,861
AE 0 #165 13 10,220
Belgium Girls 2024 #166 20 424
MX 0 #170 307 8,339
NG 0 #173 93 5,926
PH Girls 0 #173 247 13,098
AR 0 #174 13 2,915
UY 0 #174 9 2,477
PR Boys 0 #177 2 2,508
PE Girls 0 #179 2,783 14,861
BO 0 #181 233 6,868
GT 0 #185 134 5,948
CZ 0 #186 1 3,154
LU Girls 0 #186 5 4,850
AR Girls 0 #190 921 8,289
RU 0 #192 3 3,641
AO Girls 0 #194 16 4,575
LT Girls 0 #199 2 1,904
PS 0 #201 18 5,692
DK 0 #206 1 5,198
CR Girls 0 #210 460 11,342
PL 0 #211 2 2,600
ZA 0 #218 235 14,421
LU Boys 0 #220 1 4,970
HU Girls 0 #224 2 3,308
BG Girls 0 #231 1 3,559
IR 0 #231 1 4,221
MO Girls 0 #231 21 7,056
SG 0 #233 37 11,010
JP Girls 0 #234 12 6,592
MO Boys 0 #234 1 5,842
EC Boys 0 #244 3 3,322
PT 0 #246 5 4,161
IL 0 #247 28 6,291
AO Boys 0 #248 2 5,568
PE 0 #252 59 6,350
TW Girls 0 #261 16 8,139
CL Girls 0 #263 1,344 14,098
QA Girls 0 #263 54 15,378
GH Boys 0 #264 83 8,138
HR Girls 0 #293 2 3,687
MY 0 #303 28 12,352
DK Girls 0 #305 12 7,429
UY Girls 0 #307 243 6,731
SA 0 #308 5 10,560
KZ Girls 0 #311 10 5,862
CN Girls 0 #313 37 8,829
SG Girls 0 #313 296 18,916
JO Girls 0 #314 12 7,570
CL 0 #326 87 6,867
CN Boys 0 #330 2 9,639
CZ Girls 0 #331 11 5,378
BR 0 #332 14 5,969
MU Girls 0 #335 17 8,539
France Girls 2021 #340 66 3,185
PL Boys 0 #340 1 6,459
PL Girls 0 #341 14 5,096
SD Girls 0 #351 8 7,678
HK 0 #354 4 8,483
NL 0 #368 24 2,481
OM Girls 0 #369 28 15,987
Finland Girls 0 #381 11 1,368
KW Girls 0 #384 132 19,177
PA Boys 0 #398 84 9,305
GT Boys 0 #400 75 7,625
PH Boys 0 #404 5 11,440
BD Girls 0 #405 2 8,413
PT Girls 0 #406 46 7,952
EG 0 #408 5 6,387
Austria Girls 0 #409 12 1,885
UY Boys 0 #411 3 5,922
Spain 0 #412 41 2,326
AE Girls 0 #431 123 20,968
AR Boys 0 #445 23 7,628
PS Girls 0 #448 76 10,981
CO Girls 0 #450 1,099 16,140
CM Girls 0 #455 86 11,671
CO 0 #461 20 7,768
RU Girls 0 #465 34 11,913
SD Boys 0 #466 1 10,523
CR Boys 0 #476 12 10,188
IL Girls 0 #481 138 11,648
Spain Girls 0 #497 632 5,561
IQ Girls 0 #520 6 11,303
IR Girls 0 #520 11 8,334
BH 0 #525 29 17,937
LY 0 #525 11 12,703
RU Boys 0 #525 2 12,621
HK Girls 0 #530 86 16,104
BO Boys 0 #563 30 9,244
CM Boys 0 #570 6 12,054
IN Girls 0 #603 29 13,121
BD Boys 0 #605 1 10,045
LB 0 #641 18 13,263
CL Boys 0 #648 18 13,390
Finland Girls 2026 #649 90 3,895
BR Girls 0 #653 306 12,708
SA Girls 0 #682 254 25,931
IT 0 #686 29 4,183
NL Girls 0 #700 261 5,933
MY Girls 0 #706 296 24,821
SG Boys 0 #733 7 17,960
QA Boys 0 #743 1 18,093
SY 0 #766 2 11,684
BR Boys 0 #779 7 12,213
Germany Girls 0 #796 43 4,949
KW Boys 0 #800 7 18,755
MX Boys 0 #821 163 16,355
CO Boys 0 #823 98 15,656
PE Boys 0 #831 48 14,506
TN 0 #865 1 13,765
United States Boys 2023 #890 9 7,053
NG Boys 0 #890 62 16,906
OM Boys 0 #918 1 17,948
Spain Boys 0 #920 11 5,610
EG Boys 0 #924 2 15,035
EG Girls 0 #931 29 14,742
IT Girls 0 #1,024 442 9,415
ZA Boys 0 #1,094 85 25,619
MY Boys 0 #1,101 11 25,439
AE Boys 0 #1,140 4 22,615
MA 0 #1,193 7 20,986
TR 0 #1,201 11 19,440
DZ 0 #1,228 7 20,130
IT Boys 0 #1,459 13 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,604 11 28,008

Abigail is popular in 84 countries — most recent births per country:

Ireland
Scotland, United Kingdom
France
Canada
Norway

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Abigail

Abigail is predominantly a girl's name.
Abigail is a 3 syllable name, pronounced /ˈæbɪɡeɪl/ (AB-i-gayl).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Abby, Abbie, Abi, Abbey, Gail and Gayle.
Across languages, Abigail has these equivalents: Avigail (Hebrew: אֲבִיגַיִל), Abigail (English), Abigail (Spanish/Portuguese), Abigaïl (French), Abigaille (Italian).
Yes, very popular — Abigail ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 13 countries.
Abigail ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Abigail's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #1 in 2015 to #1 in 2025 in Ireland.
Yes — 5 notable people named Abigail are in our database, including Abigail Adams (Politician), Abigail Breslin (Actor), Abigail Fillmore (Politician).
Yes — at least 1 celebrity couple has chosen Abigail for their child, including Anthony Hopkins.