Abby is the short form of Abigail, a Hebrew name that means "my father is joy" or "father's joy". In the Bible Abigail is the clever, generous wife of King David, and the nickname has stood on its own for generations of American girls. As a given name in its own right Abby peaked at number 163 in 2001; it has slipped since, from number 434 in 2015 to number 731 in 2025.