Abby

Abby is an English diminutive of Abigail, which derives from the Hebrew name Avigayil, composed of the elements av, meaning father, and gil, meaning rejoicing, giving the overall sense of her father's joy or cause of joy. In the Hebrew Bible, Abigail was the wife of King David, praised for her wisdom and beauty, which helped establish the name's long-standing use in the English-speaking world. Abby has been used as an independent given name since at least the nineteenth century. Related forms include Abbie, Abigail, and Gail.