Comments for the name Abigail

Although some sites list the meaning as "father of joy" (which seems odd for a commonly female name), others also list "father's joy" or "joy of the father".

I have always understood this name to mean 'housekeeper' or 'maid/servant'. 'Abi' is the name of a black maid-of-all-work in Emma Donoghue's historical novel 'Slammerkin', and Abigail Williams is the principal character in Arthur Miller's play 'The Crucible'.

This is not the meaning, but rather the connotation it took on as the result of 17th century literature.

I have understood that the meaning of "father of joy" could be "source of joy."

I read somewhere that it meant "source of joy".

Actually the meaning of the name is "the father of joy" and not "my father is joy" as written here.

Abigail is derived from the hyphenation of the word "Abba" (father) and "Gail" which is an action word denoting (perpetual swirling in the sense of springing forth, like a fountain). The word "Joy" is interconnected with "Gail" in that "Joy" wells up (springs forth) from the emotions in the belly, to burst forth with radiance on the face and an audible strong Wind of happiness expressed as it passes the vocal cords.

Again you had been mistaken in translating the name. In the bible you cannot read anything about that name's meaning, so it is not that important what the meaning of the name is, just who the first with this name was.
The first Avigail that we can read about in the bible is the wife of David that had been taken from Naval from The Carmel (a place in Israel), who was her first husband.
Another one is: Avigal (it's the same name). She is the daughter of NaHash (Samuel 2, 17, 25).
And about the meaning: Avi gil = the father of joy OR my father is joy. But the name is written AvigAIl. So your translation is wrong.