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Gender
Feminine
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Origin of the Name Abigail
Hebrew
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Usage of the Name Abigail
English, Biblical
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Meaning of the Name Abigail
The name Abigail comes from the Hebrew name Avigayil meaning "my father is joy", "my father's joy" or "father of exaltation" in Hebrew.
In the Old Testament Abigail was the wife of Nabal, a wealthy man in Carmel who refused to send provisions to David when he was in the wilderness escaping King Saul.
Abigail feared for her husband's life, so she secretly sent provisions to David and begged for David to spare Nabal's life. He did so, and when Nabal died ten days later, David took Abigail as his second wife. As his wife, Abigail often referred to herself as "thy handmaiden" after David became king, and abigail became a term for handmaiden in the 17th century. She is referred to as an "intelligent and beautiful" woman in the Old Testament, and the Talmud refers to her as one of the four most beautiful women in the world.
The mother of Amasa, the commander-in-chief of Absalom's army, was also called Abigail.
As an English name Abigail came into general use in the 16th century, under the influence of the Puritans.
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Famous Bearers
Bearers of the name include American First Lady Abigail Adams (1744 - 1818), the wife of John Adams, the 2nd President of the United States;
Abigail Rogan (born 1946) an Australian actress;
Abigail Child (born 1948), an American writer and film director;
Abigail Spears (born 1981), an American tennis player;
Abigail Breslin (born 1996), an American actress.
Fictional bearers include Abigail Williams, the main character in The Crucible by American playwright Arthur Miller (1915 - 2005), and Abigail Van Buren, the pen name for the "Dear Abby" advice columnist Pauline Phillips (born 1918).
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Names Related to Abigail
List of names related to Abigail.
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