Fun Facts About the Name Abby
- More than 62 thousand babies named Abby: U.S. records list 62,032 babies given the name Abby from 1880 through 2025. Even 181 boys received the name Abby - about 1 boy for every 342 girls.
What Does the Name Abby Mean?
Abby is an English short form of Abigail, a name from Hebrew. The Hebrew name is אֲבִיגַיִל (Avigayil), usually explained as a compound of אָב (av), "father," and גִּיל (gil), "joy" or "rejoicing." Its literal sense is commonly given as "my father is joy" or "father's joy." Abby does not have a separate etymology; it carries the meaning of the fuller name.
The exact grammatical relationship in the Hebrew name is sometimes rendered "my father rejoices" or "father of joy," but the father-and-joy elements are the usual basis for the meaning.
Abby Name History & Origins
Abigail is a biblical name. In the Hebrew Bible, Abigail is the wife of Nabal and later of King David (1 Samuel 25). The name was used in Jewish communities and later entered English use. After the Protestant Reformation, biblical names became more common in England, especially among Puritans, and Abigail was among them.
Abby developed as an English pet form of Abigail. It is a shortened form of the fuller name rather than a name with a separate root. The spelling Abby exists alongside other short forms such as Abbie and Abbey; these forms are not all used in the same way, and some also appear as surnames or place names. Abby is also given as an independent name in English, but its history remains tied to Abigail. A well-known modern fictional bearer is Abby Brewster in the 1941 play Arsenic and Old Lace; this is a literary use, not the origin of the name.
How Popular is the Name Abby?
Abby recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2003. Its best rank was #163 in 2001.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #731 | 379 | 0.0236% |
| 2024 | #626 | 474 | 0.0294% |
| 2023 | #624 | 475 | 0.0296% |
| 2022 | #587 | 510 | 0.0311% |
| 2021 | #576 | 524 | 0.0320% |
| 2020 | #509 | 597 | 0.0370% |
| 2019 | #504 | 624 | 0.0372% |
| 2018 | #474 | 658 | 0.0387% |
| 2017 | #451 | 703 | 0.0407% |
| 2016 | #442 | 727 | 0.0410% |
| 2015 | #434 | 728 | 0.0408% |
| 2014 | #388 | 843 | 0.0472% |
| 2013 | #352 | 907 | 0.0517% |
| 2012 | #309 | 1,038 | 0.0590% |
| 2011 | #295 | 1,065 | 0.0606% |
| 2010 | #284 | 1,149 | 0.0646% |
| 2009 | #255 | 1,281 | 0.0697% |
| 2008 | #259 | 1,332 | 0.0704% |
| 2007 | #220 | 1,579 | 0.0821% |
| 2006 | #205 | 1,686 | 0.0887% |
| 2005 | #198 | 1,754 | 0.0949% |
| 2004 | #166 | 2,024 | 0.1102% |
| 2003 | #164 | 2,048 | 0.1121% |
| 2002 | #166 | 1,961 | 0.1091% |
| 2001 | #163 | 1,986 | 0.1103% |
| 2000 | #205 | 1,566 | 0.0862% |
| 1999 | #174 | 1,810 | 0.1020% |
| 1998 | #194 | 1,608 | 0.0910% |
| 1997 | #192 | 1,565 | 0.0899% |
| 1996 | #207 | 1,419 | 0.0809% |
| 1995 | #209 | 1,378 | 0.0784% |
| 1994 | #213 | 1,372 | 0.0768% |
| 1993 | #240 | 1,176 | 0.0650% |
| 1992 | #260 | 1,081 | 0.0586% |
| 1991 | #237 | 1,174 | 0.0626% |
| 1990 | #222 | 1,293 | 0.0681% |
| 1989 | #212 | 1,274 | 0.0691% |
| 1988 | #213 | 1,222 | 0.0686% |
| 1987 | #245 | 1,052 | 0.0605% |
| 1986 | #232 | 1,120 | 0.0653% |
| 1985 | #213 | 1,207 | 0.0701% |
| 1984 | #208 | 1,263 | 0.0750% |
| 1983 | #200 | 1,310 | 0.0784% |
| 1982 | #210 | 1,299 | 0.0767% |
| 1981 | #218 | 1,211 | 0.0726% |
| 1980 | #268 | 930 | 0.0560% |
| 1979 | #302 | 791 | 0.0493% |
| 1978 | #349 | 619 | 0.0404% |
| 1977 | #607 | 279 | 0.0182% |
| 1976 | #611 | 256 | 0.0175% |
| 1975 | #639 | 240 | 0.0165% |
| 1974 | #677 | 220 | 0.0150% |
| 1973 | #734 | 191 | 0.0131% |
| 1972 | #808 | 167 | 0.0110% |
| 1971 | #735 | 204 | 0.0123% |
| 1970 | #810 | 171 | 0.0098% |
| 1969 | #854 | 148 | 0.0088% |
| 1968 | #888 | 134 | 0.0082% |
| 1967 | #779 | 161 | 0.0098% |
| 1966 | #717 | 187 | 0.0111% |
| 1965 | #660 | 222 | 0.0126% |
| 1964 | #704 | 217 | 0.0115% |
| 1963 | #657 | 236 | 0.0122% |
| 1962 | #584 | 286 | 0.0145% |
| 1961 | #673 | 236 | 0.0117% |
| 1960 | #654 | 241 | 0.0119% |
| 1959 | #769 | 176 | 0.0087% |
| 1958 | #811 | 154 | 0.0077% |
| 1957 | #767 | 169 | 0.0083% |
| 1956 | #934 | 117 | 0.0058% |
| 1955 | #949 | 108 | 0.0055% |
| 1954 | #926 | 108 | 0.0056% |
| 1953 | #1,050 | 85 | 0.0045% |
| 1952 | #966 | 95 | 0.0051% |
| 1951 | #1,027 | 82 | 0.0046% |
| 1950 | #1,115 | 68 | 0.0040% |
| 1949 | #1,189 | 58 | 0.0034% |
| 1948 | #1,105 | 65 | 0.0038% |
| 1947 | #1,357 | 46 | 0.0026% |
| 1946 | #1,337 | 42 | 0.0027% |
| 1945 | #1,374 | 34 | 0.0026% |
| 1944 | #1,433 | 32 | 0.0024% |
| 1943 | #1,113 | 52 | 0.0037% |
| 1942 | #1,162 | 46 | 0.0034% |
| 1941 | #1,355 | 32 | 0.0026% |
| 1940 | #1,203 | 37 | 0.0032% |
| 1939 | #1,544 | 24 | 0.0022% |
| 1938 | #1,703 | 21 | 0.0019% |
| 1937 | #1,494 | 25 | 0.0023% |
| 1936 | #1,801 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1935 | #1,449 | 26 | 0.0025% |
| 1934 | #2,087 | 15 | 0.0014% |
| 1933 | #2,052 | 15 | 0.0015% |
| 1932 | #1,685 | 21 | 0.0020% |
| 1931 | #1,803 | 19 | 0.0018% |
| 1930 | #2,110 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1929 | #2,737 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1928 | #1,469 | 29 | 0.0025% |
| 1927 | #2,095 | 18 | 0.0015% |
| 1926 | #1,721 | 24 | 0.0020% |
| 1925 | #1,647 | 26 | 0.0021% |
| 1924 | #2,409 | 15 | 0.0012% |
| 1923 | #2,366 | 15 | 0.0012% |
| 1922 | #2,612 | 13 | 0.0011% |
| 1921 | #2,941 | 11 | 0.0009% |
| 1920 | #2,357 | 15 | 0.0013% |
| 1919 | #2,063 | 17 | 0.0015% |
| 1918 | #4,291 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1917 | #2,693 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1916 | #2,028 | 16 | 0.0015% |
| 1915 | #2,526 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1914 | #2,125 | 11 | 0.0014% |
| 1913 | #1,883 | 11 | 0.0018% |
| 1912 | #2,144 | 8 | 0.0014% |
| 1911 | #1,300 | 13 | 0.0031% |
| 1910 | #2,140 | 6 | 0.0015% |
| 1909 | #1,607 | 8 | 0.0023% |
| 1907 | #2,061 | 5 | 0.0016% |
| 1906 | #1,727 | 6 | 0.0020% |
| 1903 | #1,137 | 10 | 0.0038% |
| 1902 | #1,438 | 7 | 0.0027% |
| 1901 | #1,466 | 6 | 0.0025% |
| 1900 | #1,561 | 7 | 0.0023% |
| 1898 | #1,502 | 6 | 0.0023% |
| 1897 | #1,385 | 6 | 0.0026% |
| 1896 | #1,416 | 6 | 0.0025% |
| 1894 | #1,485 | 5 | 0.0022% |
| 1893 | #955 | 10 | 0.0047% |
| 1892 | #1,278 | 6 | 0.0028% |
| 1891 | #796 | 12 | 0.0065% |
| 1890 | #1,210 | 6 | 0.0032% |
| 1889 | #950 | 8 | 0.0045% |
| 1888 | #894 | 9 | 0.0050% |
| 1887 | #1,147 | 5 | 0.0034% |
| 1886 | #897 | 7 | 0.0048% |
| 1885 | #1,047 | 5 | 0.0038% |
| 1884 | #930 | 6 | 0.0047% |
| 1882 | #560 | 11 | 0.0102% |
| 1881 | #679 | 7 | 0.0076% |
| 1880 | #738 | 6 | 0.0066% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | #12,497 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #12,559 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2007 | #8,921 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2006 | #10,662 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #4,265 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1999 | #7,138 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1998 | #8,479 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #7,139 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1995 | #8,870 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #6,229 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #5,201 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1987 | #4,968 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #6,727 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #5,149 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1983 | #6,237 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1982 | #5,623 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #5,469 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1980 | #6,251 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1978 | #5,775 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1977 | #5,845 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1960 | #3,666 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1953 | #3,799 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1950 | #3,681 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1947 | #2,862 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1946 | #3,527 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1942 | #3,562 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1926 | #4,201 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1924 | #4,348 | 5 | 0.0004% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Abby Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Powerful and complete. You are good intellectually and require several outlets for your energies. You are not a builder but a planner, and you want others to carry out your plans. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Abby's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Abby's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.