Gail
A feminine name derived from the French name Galle, likely from the Germanic word gailaz meaning "lively, cheerful".
Name Census estimates that about 127,181 living Americans carry the first name Gail. It is a predominantly female name (95.8% of registrations). The average person named Gail today is around 70 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gail births was 1951 (10,066 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gail. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Although Gail is used almost entirely for girls, the SSA data does show 8,951 boys registered with the name since 1880.
- • The typical person named Gail is about 70 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Gails were born before 1966.
- • Compared to the 1950s, recent registration numbers for Gail have dropped to less than 5% of what they once were.
People living today
127K
~ 1 in 2,695 Americans
Peak year
1951
10,066 babies that year
Average age
70
years old
1989 SSA rank
#6,715
Tracked since 1881
Gender
Gender distribution for Gail
Gail leans heavily female at 95.8% of total registrations, but 8,951 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Gail as a male name
- Ranked #7,295 in 1989
- 6 male births in 1989
- Peak: 1942 (227 births)
Gail as a female name
- Ranked #6,715 in 2024
- 17 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1951 (9,886 births)
Popularity
Gail: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Gail from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 86,925 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Gail by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Gail during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Gails live
The SSA's state-level files cover 51 states and territories. New York, California, Pennsylvania recorded the most babies named Gail, while Alaska, Nevada, Wyoming recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 3,998 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Gail
The given name Gail has its origins in the French language, derived from the word "gaillard," meaning "high-spirited" or "lively." It emerged during the Medieval period, around the 12th century, and was initially used as a surname before transitioning into a given name.
In its early days, the name Gail was predominantly used in France and other French-speaking regions of Europe. Over time, it gained popularity in English-speaking countries due to its pleasant sound and meaning.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gail can be found in the 13th-century French epic poem "Roman de Garin le Loherain," where a character named Gail appears as a minor figure. However, it was not until the 19th century that the name gained widespread usage as a given name.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Gail. One of the earliest was Gail Borden (1801-1874), an American inventor and businessman best known for developing a process for condensing milk, which laid the foundation for the modern dairy industry.
Another notable figure was Gail Patrick (1911-1980), an American actress and producer who appeared in numerous films during the 1930s and 1940s, including "My Man Godfrey" and "Topper Returns."
In the literary world, Gail Godwin (born 1937) is a renowned American novelist and short story writer, best known for her novels "A Mother and Two Daughters" and "Father Melancholy's Daughter."
In the realm of sports, Gail Devers (born 1966) is an American track and field athlete who has won multiple Olympic gold medals in the 100-meter sprint and the 100-meter hurdles.
Lastly, Gail Simone (born 1974) is an acclaimed American writer of comic books, known for her work on titles such as "Birds of Prey," "Wonder Woman," and "Batgirl."
While the name Gail has French roots, it has become a popular choice across various cultures and countries, appreciated for its melodic sound and positive connotations of liveliness and high spirits.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Gail
People
Gail + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gail as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Gail: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gail?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 127,181 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gail going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,695 US residents.
Is Gail a common name?
We classify Gail as "Common". It ranks above 99.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 210,681 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Gail most popular?
The single biggest year for Gail was 1951, when 10,066 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gail is about 70 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Gail a female name?
Yes, 95.8% of people registered as Gail in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.