Abigail
Abigail is a boy's name of Hebrew origin.
Meaning
My father is joy, or cause of joy.
Origin and history
Abigail is traditionally a feminine name of Hebrew origin meaning 'my father is joy'. While overwhelmingly given to females in the U.S., a small number of male births have been officially recorded over the decades. Its usage for boys remains exceedingly rare in contemporary times.
Popularity in the United States
672 babies in the United States have been named Abigail since 1880. It ranks #4004 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1906.
States where it is most popular
- KY (59.6 %)
- CA (23.7 %)
- DC (12.3 %)
- PA (4.4 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 0 |
| 1920-1930 | 0 |
| 1930-1940 | 0 |
| 1940-1950 | 0 |
| 1950-1960 | 0 |
| 1960-1970 | 0 |
| 1970-1980 | 6 |
| 1980-1990 | 117 |
| 1990-2000 | 147 |
| 2000-2010 | 259 |
| 2010-2019 | 122 |
| 2020-2029 | 21 |
Nicknames
Abby, Abbie, Gail
Fun facts
- Although historically and modernly used almost exclusively for girls, over 600 boys in the U.S. have been named Abigail since 1880.
- The name stems from the Hebrew roots 'av' (father) and 'gil' (joy or to rejoice).