Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1951

Gayle

Gender Unisex · 93% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists

A female given name, a fanciful spelling of Gail, shortened form of Abigail.

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Gayle
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1951
2,929 babies
All-time total
66,308
#523 all-time among girls
First recorded
1891
in Social Security records

Gayle popularity over time

66,308 babies have been named Gayle since 1891, 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
0.511.5218801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
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 70 7 77 8 – #945
1900s 121 27 148 15 +92% #829
1910s 716 336 1,052 105 +611% #606
1920s 1,025 716 1,741 174 +65% #646
1930s 5,034 1,340 6,374 637 +266% #206
1940s 16,198 1,285 17,483 1,748 +174% #127
1950s 23,727 790 24,517 2,452 +40% #124
1960s 10,117 287 10,404 1,040 -58% #220
1970s 2,707 119 2,826 283 -73% #419
1980s 1,056 44 1,100 110 -61% #990
1990s 369 – 369 37 -66% #2,535
2000s 130 – 130 13 -65% #4,133
2010s 57 – 57 6 -56% #9,533
2020s (to 2025) 30 – 30 5 -12% #9,944

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.

How old are people named Gayle?

The median living Gayle is about 71 years old; half are between 64 and 76. An estimated 47 thousand people named Gayle are alive in the United States today.

median 71 020406080100

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

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

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

  1. 1 Gayle Rubin Gayle Rubin American cultural anthropologist, activist, and feminist (born 1949) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Gayle?

The median living Gayle is about 71 years old. Half of all living Gayles are between 64 and 76 years old.

How many people named Gayle are alive today?

An estimated 47 thousand people named Gayle are alive in the United States, based on 66,308 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

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).

Names like Gayle

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

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