Abigail
From Hebrew אֲבִיגַיִל (avigáyil, “Abigail”, literally “my Father's joy” or “fountain of joy”).
Every Abigail since 1880 — 413,935 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Abigail
Abigail is a top-50 name for girls in the United States, ranked #41 in 2025 with 4,941 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 413,935 American babies have been named Abigail. Its peak came in 2003, when 15,955 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2000s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Abigail stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Abigail year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,941 | #41 | — | — |
| 2024 | 5,535 | #32 | — | — |
| 2023 | 5,687 | #31 | 9 | #8,266 |
| 2022 | 6,306 | #24 | 6 | #10,885 |
| 2021 | 6,993 | #17 | 6 | #10,816 |
| 2020 | 7,917 | #12 | — | — |
| 2019 | 9,196 | #11 | 11 | #7,178 |
| 2018 | 9,879 | #11 | 13 | #6,352 |
| 2017 | 10,645 | #10 | 6 | #10,790 |
| 2016 | 11,796 | #8 | 10 | #7,609 |
| 2015 | 12,422 | #7 | 10 | #7,496 |
| 2014 | 12,114 | #8 | 13 | #6,312 |
| 2013 | 12,429 | #8 | 16 | #5,406 |
| 2012 | 12,730 | #7 | 13 | #6,310 |
| 2011 | 13,266 | #7 | 21 | #4,509 |
| 2010 | 14,257 | #7 | 9 | #8,151 |
| 2009 | 14,401 | #8 | 16 | #5,557 |
| 2008 | 15,088 | #8 | 20 | #4,716 |
| 2007 | 15,476 | #8 | 27 | #3,795 |
| 2006 | 15,633 | #6 | 16 | #5,306 |
| 2005 | 15,756 | #4 | 13 | #5,876 |
| 2004 | 15,436 | #6 | 89 | #1,502 |
| 2003 | 15,932 | #6 | 23 | #3,732 |
| 2002 | 15,303 | #7 | 20 | #4,046 |
| 2001 | 14,807 | #8 | 19 | #4,122 |
| 2000 | 13,094 | #14 | 16 | #4,574 |
| 1995 | 7,825 | #36 | 12 | #4,792 |
| 1990 | 3,719 | #90 | 20 | #3,058 |
| 1985 | 1,848 | #153 | 12 | #3,601 |
| 1980 | 1,577 | #176 | 11 | #3,615 |
| 1975 | 615 | #353 | — | — |
| 1970 | 362 | #526 | — | — |
| 1965 | 209 | #679 | — | — |
| 1960 | 228 | #673 | — | — |
| 1955 | 180 | #700 | — | — |
| 1950 | 112 | #824 | — | — |
| 1945 | 53 | #1,080 | — | — |
| 1940 | 48 | #1,035 | — | — |
| 1935 | 37 | #1,162 | — | — |
| 1930 | 25 | #1,569 | — | — |
| 1925 | 37 | #1,296 | — | — |
| 1920 | 33 | #1,375 | — | — |
| 1915 | 38 | #1,094 | — | — |
| 1910 | 16 | #1,110 | — | — |
| 1905 | 11 | #1,162 | — | — |
| 1900 | 14 | #1,008 | — | — |
| 1895 | 15 | #815 | — | — |
| 1890 | 9 | #940 | — | — |
| 1885 | 9 | #745 | — | — |
| 1880 | 12 | #492 | — | — |
Famous people named Abigail
- Abigail Companion · b. -1040
- Abigail Adams Companion · 1744–1818
- Abigail Fillmore Politician · 1798–1853
- Abigail Breslin Actor · b. 1996
- Abigail Spencer Actor · b. 1981
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Abigail mean?
From Hebrew אֲבִיגַיִל (avigáyil, “Abigail”, literally “my Father's joy” or “fountain of joy”).
How popular is the name Abigail in 2025?
Abigail ranked #41 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 4,941 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Abigail?
413,935 babies have been named Abigail in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Abigail most popular?
Abigail peaked in 2003, when 15,955 newborns received the name.
Is Abigail a boy or girl name?
Abigail is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Abigail rising or falling?
Abigail is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Abigail?
Well-known people named Abigail include Abigail (companion), Abigail Adams (companion), Abigail Fillmore (politician).