| Abigail | Elizabeth | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | my father is joy | God is my oath |
| Origin | hebrew | Hebrew |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | AB-ih-gayl | ih-LIZ-uh-beth |
| Syllables | 3 | 4 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2003 (15,932) | 1990 (20,750) |
| In 2025 | 4,941 | 6,760 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Abigail | Elizabeth |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 37,379 | 41,893 |
| 2010s | 118,734 | 94,103 |
| 2000s | 150,926 | 133,568 |
| 1990s | 72,779 | 172,693 |
| 1980s | 20,658 | 198,972 |
| 1970s | 6,704 | 142,845 |
| 1960s | 2,411 | 168,920 |
| 1950s | 1,671 | 165,656 |
| 1940s | 647 | 116,551 |
| 1930s | 365 | 96,480 |
| 1920s | 322 | 139,672 |
| 1910s | 270 | 116,811 |
| 1900s | 136 | 41,708 |
| 1890s | 128 | 33,879 |
| 1880s | 133 | 25,006 |
From Hebrew Avigail: av 'father' + gil 'joy, rejoicing,' usually 'my father is joy' or 'my father's joy.' Borne by one of David's wives, remembered for her wisdom and level head (1 Samuel 25). Etymology well established.
Elizabeth is from the Hebrew Elisheva, “God is my oath.” It has been borne by saints and queens across a thousand years.
Elizabeth is more popular than Abigail today: about 6,760 US babies were given the name Elizabeth in 2025, compared with 4,941 named Abigail.
Abigail means my father is joy (hebrew origin), while Elizabeth means God is my oath (Hebrew origin).
In US records, Abigail first appears in 1880 and Elizabeth in 1880, so Abigail has the longer recorded history.