Meaning & History
From the Hebrew name אֲבִיגָיִל ('Avigayil) meaning "my father is joy", derived from the roots אָב ('av) meaning "father" and גִּיל (gil) meaning "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 Abigail 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.
Related Names
Popularity
Images

People think this name is
classic formal natural wholesome refined serious nerdy
Categories
actresses, American Horror Story characters, athletes, biblical, biblical women, Big Little Lies characters, Claymore characters, Disney characters, Downton Abbey characters, fathers, female US presidential candidates, first ladies of the USA, happiness, joy, literature, Street Fighter characters, The Haunting characters, top 10 in the US, victims, wives of King David
Entry updated November 20, 2020