Declining since 2004, #41 for girls today.
Popularity of Abigail since 1880
Babies named Abigail per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 133 |
| 1890s | 128 |
| 1900s | 136 |
| 1910s | 270 |
| 1920s | 322 |
| 1930s | 365 |
| 1940s | 647 |
| 1950s | 1,671 |
| 1960s | 2,411 |
| 1970s | 6,704 |
| 1980s | 20,658 |
| 1990s | 72,779 |
| 2000s | 150,926 |
| 2010s | 118,734 |
| 2020s | 37,379 |
Meaning & origin
Abigail carries one of the stranger biographies in the name book: a biblical heroine praised for her wit, a Puritan staple, then a casualty of Jacobean theater, when a stage maid named Abigail turned the name into slang for a servant and sank it in Britain for two centuries. American families, with Abigail Adams as the name's great rehabilitator, never fully let it go.
The modern numbers show a name just past its high-water mark. Abigail's share of births peaked in 2003, anchoring a top-10 run through much of that decade, and it has been easing since 2004. In 2025 it ranked 41st, given to about 1 in 325 newborn girls, the comfortable middle of the charts, where a name is familiar without being everywhere.
Its strongest states are Alaska, Vermont, and Delaware, a scatter with no obvious regional logic beyond small states with steady tastes. Between the biblical pedigree, the founding-era gravitas, and the friendly nickname Abby, Abigail behaves like permanent stock in the American repertoire, whatever direction its ranking drifts.
Abigail derives from the Hebrew Avigayil, commonly glossed "my father is joy" or "father's joy." In the Hebrew Bible, Abigail is the quick-witted and diplomatic wife of Nabal who averts bloodshed and later marries King David. English Puritans made it a common given name in the 16th and 17th centuries, then the stage undid it: Abigail was the name of the scheming lady's maid in Beaumont and Fletcher's play The Scornful Lady (1616), and "abigail" passed into English as slang for a female servant, dragging the name out of fashion in Britain. America rehabilitated it, first through the prestige of Abigail Adams and then decisively in the late 20th century, when it climbed back into the national top 10.
Read more: Abigail on Wikipedia
Where Abigail is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Abigail” around the world
Where Abigail lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
70
babies in 2024
Ireland
40
babies in 2025
New Zealand
#88
in 2025
Quebec
36
babies in 2025
Australia (NSW)
#55
in 2025
Sources: INSEE (France) · CSO Ireland (Ireland) · NZ Dept of Internal Affairs (New Zealand) · Retraite Québec (Quebec) · NSW Registry of BDM (Australia (NSW)).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Abby, Abbie, Gail
Famous people named Abigail
- Abigail Adams · first lady and prolific correspondent of the founding era
- Abigail Breslin · actress, Oscar-nominated for Little Miss Sunshine
Sibling names for Abigail
Names that share Abigail's style, for a brother or sister.
Sisters: Emily, Hannah, Olivia, Charlotte, Grace, Naomi, Bethany, Emely, Emilee, Isabel, Jocelyn, Rachael, Rebecca, Rebekah, Annalee, Bethanie, Jemima, Jocelynn, Katie, Lizbeth, Moriah, Nathaly, Sariah, Susannah, Amiee, Ammy, Annalyn, Beckie, Betsey, Katey, Keturah, Madelin, Micheala, Naomy, Nazareth, Rachell, Raechel, Rebbecca, Rebeka, Rebekkah, Sarrah, Suzannah, Aimie, Athaliah, Betzy, Emilyann, Emmily, Jemimah, Katelyne, Lizbet, Lizzy, Mical, Natallie, Nathania, Noami, Rebbeca, Tabbatha, Tabytha, Bathsheba, Becka, Bethanee, Bethanny, Betheny, Channah, Christana, Elisheba, Emilyanne, Hananiah, Jacoba, Jenie, Kaity, Linsy, Natilie, Natlie, Rabecca, Hadessah, Jochebed, Abiageal, Abiah, Achsah, Adoniah, Alisabeth, Amybeth, Haly, Hephzibah, Josabet, Katherinne, Magaby, Rahcel, Rebecah, Rebeckah, Sarahanne
Brothers: Benjamin, Samuel, Caleb, Nathaniel, Owen, Aaron, Daniel, Elijah, Ethan, Ezekiel, Isaac, Isaiah, Jacob, Jeremiah, Jonathan, Joshua, Josiah, Luke, Micah, Noah, Elisha, Garrett, Issac, Jesse, Joel, Jonah, Malachi, Mitchell, Nathan, Nathanael, Zachary, Abimael, Bradly, Cain, Callen, Cristopher, Davy, Eleazar, Enoch, Ephraim, Gideon, Hezekiah, Hosea, Immanuel, Jedidiah, Josh, Lemuel, Mahlon, Mitchel, Nathanial, Omer, Robb, Samual, Solomon, Uriah, Zachariah, Zakary, Zechariah, Aarron, Abiel, Ammon, Bartholomew, Benaiah, Benjaman, Benjamine, Benjiman, Danniel, Efrem, Eliott, Ezekial, Gamaliel, Hyrum, Isac, Ishmael, Jacobe, Jamin, Japheth, Jedediah, Jeramiah, Jeremey, Jerimiah, Jermiah, Johnathen, Jonathen, Joshuah, Kalib, Levy, Malachai, Nahum, Obadiah, Sammuel, Soloman, Zacharia, Zacharias, Zackariah, Zakery, Zebulon, Zephaniah, Abie, Adael, Adams, Adonijah, Amaziah, Asiel, Benjamyn, Benuel, Binyamin, Cainan, Chrystian, Davied, Eliab, Elijha, Elimelech, Elnathan, Gaberial, Issak, Jaasiel, Jaaziel, Jabin, Jahdiel, Jebediah, Jedadiah, Jediah, Jehu, Jeremia, Jezreel, Joab, Johnatan, Jonothan, Kaileb, Magdiel, Manasseh, Mathews, Meshach, Mishael, Mosiah, Naaman, Namon, Nathaneal, Nathaneil, Nathanel, Othniel, Phinehas, Timithy, Tobiah, Uzziah, Zacharey, Zachari, Zacheriah, Zachry, Zackory, Zadok, Zebadiah, Zebediah, Zekiel, Abdon, Abishai, Abundio, Adom, Adonias, Asahel, Benjimen, Benjimin, Calab, Christepher, Danile, Eliakim, Eliasar, Elihue, Ephrem, Ezechiel, Gabreal, Helaman, Imanuel, Izac, Jaaziah, Jahaziel, Jahel, Jamesmichael, Japhet, Jasher, Jeremaih, Joas, Joenathan, Johnaton, Joram, Joshau, Jousha, Manoah, Nahshon, Nathanal, Nathanuel, Nathanyel, Nethaniel, Nichalas, Nycholas, Obediah, Oseias, Sameul, Samuell, Shadrach, Tymothy, Urias, Zacariah, Zaccary, Zachrey, Zackry, Benjermin, Ezekeil, Jathniel, Jebadiah, Jerimah, Jonahtan, Azarel, Benjerman, Calub, Danuel, Dvid, Eliazer, Ezekiah, Gedeon, Hanniel, Isaack, Jebidiah, Johnathin, Jonathin, Jonluke, Joshiah, Josuha, Mayfield, Melquisedec, Moyses, Nathanyal, Nathanyl, Sadrac, Shadrack, Solmon, Timoth, Timoty, Zacharius, Zecharia
Names like Abigail
Names whose popularity has moved with Abigail's over the last 50 years.
