Abigail

Abigail (ab-i-gayl) is a feminine name that is used in the English, German, Biblical, and Biblical Latin languages.

Meaning and History
Abigail is derived 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 Abigail refers to herself as a servant and, beginning in the 17th century, the name became a slang term for a servant. The name went out of fashion at that point, but it was revived in the 20th century.

Related Names

 * Variants: Abigale, Abigayle, Abegail, Abegale, Abegayle, Abbigale, Abbigail, Abbigayle, Abbegail, Abbegale, Abbegayle
 * Diminutives: Abby, Abbie, Abbey, Abbi, Aby, Abi, Gail, Gale, Gayle, Gaile, Gayla, Gaila