Abigail

Abigail is a name for females.

Usage
English, German, Biblical, Biblical Latin

Pronounced
AB-ə-gayl (English), A-bee-giel (German)

Meaning & History
From the Hebrew name ('Avigayil) meaning "my father is joy". In the Old Testament this is the name of Nabal's wife. After Nabal's death she became the third wife of King David.

As an English name, Abigail first became common after the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular among the Puritans. The biblical Abigil refers to herself as a servant, and beginning in the 17th century the name became a slang term for a servant, especially after the release of the play 'The Scornful Lady' (1616) which featured a character named Abigail. The name went out of fashion at that point, but it was revived in the 20th century.

Nicknames
Abbie

Abby

Gail

Nabby

Famous People And/Or With This Name

 * Abigail Breslin (Actress)
 * Abigail Adams (US First Lady)

Characters With This Name In Media

 * Abigail the Cow in Disney's "The Fox and the Hound" and "The Fox and the Hound 2."

Similar Names

 * 'Avigayil (Biblical Hebrew)
 * Abigaíl (Spanish)
 * Abigaïl (French, Dutch)
 * Abigaia (Biblical Greek)
 * Apikalia (Hawaiian)
 * Avigail (Hebrew)
 * Abigél (Hungarian)
 * Abi (Scottish)

Also See
English Female Names