Gayle
A female given name, a fanciful spelling of Gail, shortened form of Abigail.
Every Gayle since 1891 — 66,308 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Gayle
Gayle is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1891, 66,308 American babies have been named Gayle — about 93% girls and 7% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1951, when 2,929 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Gayle stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Gayle 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 | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | 6 | #14,052 | — | — |
| 2023 | 8 | #11,540 | — | — |
| 2022 | 10 | #9,944 | — | — |
| 2021 | 6 | #14,072 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | 5 | #16,368 | — | — |
| 2018 | 7 | #12,930 | — | — |
| 2017 | 11 | #9,533 | — | — |
| 2016 | 9 | #11,168 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | 7 | #13,545 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | 5 | #17,771 | — | — |
| 2011 | 6 | #15,474 | — | — |
| 2010 | 7 | #13,961 | — | — |
| 2009 | 11 | #10,211 | — | — |
| 2008 | 15 | #8,262 | — | — |
| 2007 | 7 | #14,417 | — | — |
| 2006 | 9 | #11,773 | — | — |
| 2005 | 9 | #11,205 | — | — |
| 2004 | 8 | #11,989 | — | — |
| 2003 | 10 | #9,920 | — | — |
| 2002 | 11 | #9,054 | — | — |
| 2001 | 30 | #4,133 | — | — |
| 2000 | 20 | #5,551 | — | — |
| 1995 | 30 | #3,615 | — | — |
| 1990 | 47 | #2,535 | — | — |
| 1985 | 97 | #1,351 | 11 | #3,890 |
| 1980 | 145 | #1,006 | — | — |
| 1975 | 184 | #771 | 9 | #3,749 |
| 1970 | 535 | #419 | 17 | #2,235 |
| 1965 | 956 | #281 | 42 | #1,171 |
| 1960 | 1,493 | #220 | 40 | #1,244 |
| 1955 | 2,483 | #146 | 77 | #840 |
| 1950 | 2,368 | #133 | 97 | #696 |
| 1945 | 1,491 | #156 | 122 | #540 |
| 1940 | 1,085 | #177 | 139 | #496 |
| 1935 | 705 | #237 | 150 | #464 |
| 1930 | 139 | #580 | 89 | #658 |
| 1925 | 100 | #737 | 78 | #740 |
| 1920 | 102 | #719 | 57 | #917 |
| 1915 | 84 | #725 | 42 | #969 |
| 1910 | 15 | #1,182 | 5 | #1,682 |
| 1905 | 20 | #832 | — | — |
| 1900 | 9 | #1,358 | 7 | #1,091 |
| 1895 | 6 | #1,483 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Gayle
- Gayle Rubin Anthropologist · b. 1949
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Gayle mean?
A female given name, a fanciful spelling of Gail, shortened form of Abigail.
How popular is the name Gayle in 2025?
Gayle did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Gayle?
66,308 babies have been named Gayle in the United States since 1891, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Gayle most popular?
Gayle peaked in 1951, when 2,929 newborns received the name.
Is Gayle a boy or girl name?
Gayle is used for both: about 93% of babies named Gayle have been girls and 7% boys.
Is the name Gayle rising or falling?
Gayle is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Gayle?
Well-known people named Gayle include Gayle Rubin (anthropologist).