Abigail

Abigail ~ Father's Joy ~ Hebrew

Abigail Adams portrait, c 1800

Even though it wasn't as popular in the late 1800s as it is today, this name carries a sort of historical feel to it. I credit Abigail Adams for that. Not only was she the wife of the 2nd president of the United States, she was also the mother of the 6th president, John Quincy. This chunk of American history gives the name a great foundation and a subtle colonial-period quality.

And speaking of history, Abigail is a Hebrew name and was the name of King David's third wife in the Bible. She is described as intelligent and beautiful.

Abigail has a fantastic meaning that makes for a special little secret between daughter and daddy. Its celebration of the father's feelings for his daughter go back to its Hebrew origins.

Modern Abigails
Other Abigails who have made their mark on the name include child actress Abigail Breslin, advice columnist Abigail Van Buren (Dear Abby), and even Abby Cadabby, a fictional character introduced to Sesame Street in 2006.

Variations & Popularity
Abigail is a lovely and cheerful name that comes with a great girl-next-door nickname: Abby. Its long list of possible variations include:

• Abbey
• Abbi
• Abbie
• Abby - the most common variation
• Abbye
• Abbygail
• Abbigael
• Avigail

Abigail is extremely well-liked and is the number 6 name in the country.