Do you like Abby, but feel uncomfortable with putting a nickname on the birth certificate? Don’t worry! There are tons of long forms:
Let’s start with Abigail… Being in the US Top 10 for almost ten years (she’s currently #8), it’s safe to say that Abigail (AB-i-gayl) is the most common way to get to Abby. The meaning, “my father is joy”, is pretty great. In the Old Testament, Abigail was Nabal’s wife, and then King David’s. However, the name was later used as a term for a lady’s maid, which might explain why she wasn’t as popular as other classics (think Elizabeth) until recent years. Famous bearers of the name include Abigail Adams (1744–1818) and Abigail Powers (1798–1853), who were both the First Lady of the United States at some point. More recently, there’s Abigail Breslin (1996-), an American child actress. Variants include Avigail.
Next stop, Abilene! Abilene (ab-i-LEE-nee), meaning “grass”, has never ranked in the US. Like Abigail, she has Biblical roots, but instead, Abilene was a place name. Now, she’s a city in Georgia, Kansas, Texas, and Virginia.
Annabel, Annabelle, Annabella, and Mabel are all variations of Amabel, meaning “loving”. Annabel, Annabelle, and Annabella can be seen as a smush of Anna and Belle (or Bella), though. Annabel and Annabelle are pronounced AN-ə-bel, Annabella is an-ə-BEL-ə, Mabel is MAY-bəl, and Amabel would be AM-ə-bel. As of ’09, Annabel ranked #722, Annabelle was #156, Annabella was #461, and Mabel and Amabel were not ranked. I think that all of these have potential to rise, with -bel/-belle/-bella and vintage names coming back in style. You’ll find Annabel in Edgar Allen Poe’s “Annabel Lee”. How do you get Abby from these names? Look closer, and you’ll see annABel, annABelle, annABella, mABel, and amABel.
And now, Arabella! Arabella (AIR-ə-bell-ə), according to Behind the Name, could be a variant of the previously mentioned Annabel. She’s also associated with orabilis, meaning “invokable”. Namberry lists the definition as “beautiful altar”, though. Having jumped over 200 spaces, Arabella is definitely on the rise. Maybe as a substitute for Isabella? You’ll find Arabella in literature, too (Jude the Obscure and Arabella). There’s also Arabella, an opera by Richard Strauss. Bearers of the name include Arabella Mansfield (1846 – 1911), the female lawyer in the United States, and Arabella Churchill (1949 –2007), granddaughter of Sir Winston Churchill and charity founder.
Elizabeth (i-LIZ-ə-bəth), Elisabetta, Isabeau (IZ-a-bo), Isabel (IZ-ə-bel or ee-sah-BEL), and Isabella (ee-zah-BEL-lah or iz-ə-BEL-ə) mean “my God is an oath” or “my God is abundance”. Elizabeth has almost always been in the Top 25, Elisabetta and Isabeau are not ranked, Isabel is #110, and Isabella is #1. You’ll find many saints, empresses, queens, princesses, artists, musicians, athletes, characters, etc. with the name Elizabeth (or one of Elizabeth’s variants).
Mirabel, Mirabelle, and Mirabella mean “wonderful”. None of the variants are in the US Top 1000, though Miranda (“admirable, wonderful”) is #181. I pronounce them MEER-ə-bel and MEER-ə-bel-ə. Mirabelle is associated with the mirabelle plum. Montréal-Mirabel International Airport is an airport in Canada, Mirabel is a city in Quebec, and Mirabell Palace is in Salzburg, Austria.
Last but not least, Tabitha (TAB-i-thə) means “gazelle” and appears in the New Testament. She now ranks at #647, after dropping 59 spaces. Her peak was #126 in 1978. Tabitha also appears in Bewitched and Tabitha, a spin-off.
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