Gail

Gail is an English given name that originated as a short form of Abigail, a Hebrew name composed of the elements meaning father and rejoice, often interpreted as my father is joy. It came into independent use in the early twentieth century and was especially popular in the United States during the 1940s and 1950s. The spelling Gayle is a common variant, and the name remains connected to its longer form Abigail.