Abigail is a name of Hebrew origin, derived from the words "ab" meaning "father" and "gil" meaning "happiness or joy". Therefore, the name Abigail means "my father is my happiness" or "my father rejoices in me".
The name Abigail is found in the Bible, where she is introduced as one of King David's wives. She was known for her intelligence and wit, and played a significant role in helping her husband escape from his enemy Absalom.
Throughout history, the name Abigail has been used by many notable figures. For instance, Abigail Adams was the wife of John Adams, the second President of the United States, and she herself was a political activist and writer. Additionally, Abigail Fillmore was the First Lady of the United States during her husband Millard Fillmore's presidency.
The name Abigail has also been popular in literature and arts. Charlotte Brontë used it for one of the characters in her novel "Jane Eyre", while the character Abby Normal from the Mel Brooks film "Young Frankenstein" is named after this name.
In recent years, the name Abigail has gained popularity as a given name, particularly in English-speaking countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. It has consistently ranked among the top 1000 most popular girl names in these countries.
"Abigel experienced a consistent popularity with five births each year from 2002 to 2012, except for a dip in 2007 and 2008, and a peak of six births in 2014, totaling 31 children named Abigel."