Hebrew female names originate in the Hebrew language and biblical tradition. Many take feminine grammatical forms, most commonly the -ah ending (as in Sarah or Hannah), and some use -it or -et. Theophoric elements referring to God appear in both female and male names, often with -el or -yah, so female patterns largely parallel male ones. Spelling varies in translation, producing multiple English forms of the same Hebrew name.

In modern use, English-speaking countries favor Abigail and its short forms, while Israeli usage often prefers the Hebrew Avigail and contemporary nature or unisex choices. Common English spellings from this family include Abigail, Abby, Abbey, Abbi, Abi, Abigael, Abbigail, Abbigale, Abbygail, and Abbigayle.