Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1996

Gal

Meaning A male or female given name from Hebrew גַּל Gender Unisex · 63% girls Rank 2025 #9,673

A male or female given name from Hebrew גַּל.

Rank 2025
#9,673
among girls · ↑1,773 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
15
named Gal
How common
1 in 160,727
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1996
21 babies
All-time total
403
#16,124 all-time among girls
First recorded
1947
in Social Security records

Gal popularity over time

403 babies have been named Gal since 1947, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
00.010.010.0218801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s 10 – 10 1 – #5,514
1950s 34 – 34 3 +240% #3,805
1960s 5 – 5 1 -85% #6,890
1970s – – – – – –
1980s 22 16 38 4 – #10,282
1990s 43 85 128 13 +237% #6,371
2000s 34 42 76 8 -41% #8,206
2010s 34 – 34 3 -55% #8,803
2020s (to 2025) 73 5 78 13 +282% #7,089

The story of Gal

Gal is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #9,673 in 2025 with 10 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1947, 403 American babies have been named Gal, about 63% girls and 37% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1996, when 21 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1990s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Gal stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Gal?

The median living Gal is about 27 years old; half are between 8 and 34. An estimated 400 people named Gal are alive in the United States today.

median 27 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Gal year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 10 #9,673 5 #12,648
2024 8 #11,446 – –
2023 12 #8,642 – –
2022 16 #7,089 – –
2021 13 #8,185 – –
2020 14 #7,691 – –
2019 7 #12,901 – –
2018 12 #8,803 – –
2017 9 #11,002 – –
2016 – – – –
2015 6 #15,136 – –
2014 – – – –
2013 – – – –
2012 – – – –
2011 – – – –
2010 – – – –
2009 – – – –
2008 – – – –
2007 – – – –
2006 – – 6 #11,095
2005 5 #17,343 12 #6,356
2004 – – – –
2003 – – 9 #7,445
2002 7 #12,662 5 #11,262
2001 10 #9,621 5 #11,132
2000 12 #8,206 5 #10,965
1995 14 #6,371 5 #9,323
1990 – – 6 #7,481
1985 – – – –
1980 – – – –
1975 – – – –
1970 – – – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 5 #6,151 – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Gal

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Gal Gadot Gal Gadot Israeli actress (born 1985) Contemporary
  2. 2 Gaël Monfils Gaël Monfils French tennis player (born 1986) Contemporary
  3. 3 Gaël Clichy Gaël Clichy French footballer (born 1985) Contemporary
  4. 4 Gal Costa Gal Costa Brazilian singer (1945–2022) Contemporary
  5. 5 Gaël Bigirimana Burundian footballer (born 1993) Contemporary
  6. 6 Gaël Givet Gaël Givet French association football player (born 1981) Contemporary
  7. 7 Gal Mekel Gal Mekel Israeli basketball player (born 1988) Contemporary
  8. 8 Gal Fridman Gal Fridman Israeli windsurfer (born 1975) Contemporary
  9. 9 Gal Alberman Gal Alberman Israeli footballer (born 1983) Contemporary
  10. 10 Gaël Andonian Armenian footballer (born 1995) Contemporary
  11. 11 Gaël Danic Gaël Danic French footballer (born 1981) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Gal, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Gal?

The median living Gal is about 27 years old. Half of all living Gals are between 8 and 34 years old.

How many people named Gal are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Gal are alive in the United States, based on 403 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Gal mean?

A male or female given name from Hebrew גַּל.

How popular is the name Gal in 2025?

Gal ranked #9,673 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 10 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Gal?

403 babies have been named Gal in the United States since 1947, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Gal most popular?

Gal peaked in 1996, when 21 newborns received the name.

Is Gal a boy or girl name?

Gal is used for both: about 63% of babies named Gal have been girls and 37% boys.

Is the name Gal rising or falling?

Gal is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Gal?

Well-known people named Gal include Gal Gadot (actor), Gaël Monfils (tennis player), Gaël Clichy (soccer player).

Names like Gal

Names that sound and feel close to Gal: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Gal with similar names → More names starting with G →