Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Abby

Abby is a diminutive name for Abigail but has been used as an independently given name for over 100 years. Abigail is a name borne from the Bible as one of King David’s wives. The name comes from a Hebrew word (Avigayil) which means ‘Father’s joy’. She shows up in the Bible (1 Samuel 25-30) as Nabal’s wife “and the name of his wife Abigail, and she was a woman of good understanding and of a beautiful countenance.” She brings offerings to David when Nabal refuses him and his soldiers supplies after they protected his shepherds and possessions from harm. After Nabal’s death, Abigail accepts David’s offer of marriage. The name came into popularity in England in the 16th century under the influence of the Puritans. Interestingly, it is also a common name in 17th century literature for a lady’s maid or servant. The pet forms of the name, Abby, Abbie, Abbey, and Gail have all become given names in their own right.

All About the Baby Name – Abby

Personality

OF THE GIRL NAME ABBY

The Three energy is powerful and enthusiastic. These personalities are cheerful, full of self-expression, and often quite emotional. They have an artistic flair and "gift-of-gab" that makes them natural entertainers. Their joyfulness bubbles over, and their infectious exuberance draws a crowd. The Three personality is like a child - forever young and full of delight. They are charming, witty, and generally happy people. The Three personality lives in the "now" and has a spontaneous nature. Threes seem to live with a bright and seemingly unbreakable aura that attracts others to them. In turn, they are deeply loyal and loving to their friends and family. Luck also has a tendency to favor number Threes.

Popularity

OF THE GIRL NAME ABBY

The name Abby enjoyed a spot on the U.S. popularity charts back in 1880, the first year the government began tracking naming trends. This goes to show you how long this “nickname” has been a given name in her own right. However, before the turn of the 20th century, the name Abby retreated off the charts. She would go into hibernation for another 50+ years until she reemerged again in 1952. By the late 1990s, Abby got as high as the Top 200 list of most commonly used girl names, but in recent years the name has declined. Abby is not only in competition with the traditional Abigail, but there is also a rivalry with Abbie and Abbey. Abby is a cute and snappy version of Abigail and a good choice for contemporary parents who prefer the no-nonsense simplicity of this two-syllable nickname. Abby also seems to convey a tomboy-coolness on little girls, and yet ages nicely into a ‘Dear Abby’. And if your daughter is born under the sign of Cancer, you can always refer to her as Crabby Abby!

Quick Facts

ON ABBY

GENDER:

Girl

ORIGIN:

English

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

352

PRONUNCIATION:

AB-ee

SIMPLE MEANING:

Father's joy

Characteristics

OF ABBY

Communicative

Creative

Optimistic

Popular

Social

Dramatic

Happy

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Abby

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME ABBY

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Abby

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME ABBY

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Abby


Popular Songs

ON ABBY

Dear Abby
a song by The Hearts

Famous People

NAMED ABBY

Abby Dalton (actress)
Abby Kelley (abolitionist and social activist)
Abby Rockefeller Mauzé (Rockefeller family)
Abby Aldrich Rockefeller (socialite and philanthropist)
Abby Sunderland (sailor who was rescued while trying to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the world)
Abby Travis (musician)
Abby Wambach (soccer player)

Children of Famous People

NAMED ABBY

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Abby

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME ABBY

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Abby