Abbie

♀ Girl

Pronounced AB-ee /ˈæb.i/Medium

Meaning: A diminutive of Abigail, from Hebrew 'Avigayil' meaning 'my father is joy'.Medium

In 30 seconds: Abbie is a friendly short form of Abigail, which comes from the Hebrew 'Avigayil', 'my father is joy'.

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Origin MediumHebrew

MeaningA diminutive of Abigail, from Hebrew 'Avigayil' meaning 'my father is joy'.

U.S. rank (2025)#1652 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births125 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2003

Total births (all-time)≈ 22,226

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Abigail carries the warm Hebrew meaning 'my father is joy', and Abbie is one of the affectionate diminutives that grew out of it. Over time these short forms became full given names in their own right, especially across the English-speaking world. Abbie keeps the cheerful spirit of the original while sounding light and casual.

It sits among a cluster of near-twin spellings, Abby, Abbey, and Abbi, each a slightly different take on the same nickname. Gail, drawn from the back of Abigail, offers a different route to the same name.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Abbie is 'origin uncertain', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Abbie — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

AbbeyAbbiAbbyAbiGail

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Abbie Cornish (1982-)
Australian actress
★Abbie Hoffman (1936-1989)
American political and social activist who co-founded the Yippies

If you like Abbie…

Abby— the most common spelling of the same Abigail short form

Mollie— shares Abbie's Hebrew roots

Jaycie— echoes that soft -ie sound

Lizzie— shares Abbie's Hebrew roots

Susie— lands in the same popularity range

Explore names like Abbie

By themeenglish

By meaningJoy

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Abbie mean?

Abbie is usually explained as meaning 'origin uncertain' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Abbie?

It's commonly said AB-ee /ˈæb.i/.

Is Abbie a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Abbie is used as a girl name.

How popular is Abbie?

In 2024, Abbie ranked #1617 in the U.S. for girls, with 128 births recorded.