Gayl
A feminine form of the masculine name Gail, derived from Latin gaudialis meaning "joyous".
Name Census estimates that about 362 living Americans carry the first name Gayl. It is a predominantly female name (97.6% of registrations). The average person named Gayl today is around 71 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gayl births was 1952 (43 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gayl. 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
- • The typical person named Gayl is about 71 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Gayls were born before 1965.
People living today
362
~ 1 in 946,835 Americans
Peak year
1952
43 babies that year
Average age
71
years old
1942 SSA rank
#3,768
Tracked since 1917
Gender
Gender distribution for Gayl
Gayl leans heavily female at 97.6% of total registrations, but 15 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Gayl as a male name
- Ranked #3,768 in 1942
- 5 male births in 1942
- Peak: 1933 (5 births)
Gayl as a female name
- Ranked #8,326 in 1975
- 6 female births in 1975
- Peak: 1952 (43 births)
Popularity
Gayl: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Gayl from the 1910s through to the 1970s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 225 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
Gayl 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 Gayl during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Gayls live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. California, Illinois, New York recorded the most babies named Gayl, while Indiana, New York, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 7 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Gayl
The name Gayl has its origins in the Old English language, with roots that can be traced back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "gail," which meant "merry" or "joyful." This connection to merriment and joy has been a consistent theme throughout the history of the name.
In the Anglo-Saxon era, the name Gayl was often used as a diminutive or nickname for longer names such as Gaylord or Gaylerd. These names were commonly bestowed upon children who were perceived as particularly cheerful or high-spirited. The earliest recorded instances of the name Gayl date back to the 9th century, when it appeared in various church records and legal documents of the time.
One of the earliest known historical figures to bear the name Gayl was Gayl of Hereford, a 10th-century monk and scholar who is credited with writing several important religious texts and commentaries. His works were influential in shaping the intellectual discourse of the period and helped to preserve the legacy of the name.
In the Middle Ages, the name Gayl gained popularity among the nobility and upper classes of English society. One notable figure from this era was Gayl de Montfort (c. 1230-1271), a prominent English nobleman and military commander who played a significant role in the Second Barons' War against King Henry III.
The Gayl name also found its way into literature and popular culture. In the 14th century, Geoffrey Chaucer's famous work "The Canterbury Tales" featured a character named Gayl the Reeve, a steward who represents the archetype of a cunning and resourceful individual.
During the Renaissance period, the name Gayl continued to be used across Europe. One notable bearer was Gayl Brossard (c. 1490-1555), a French humanist scholar and poet who was highly regarded for his contributions to the arts and literature of his time.
As the name spread beyond its English roots, it took on various spellings and adaptations in different languages and cultures. For example, in German, the name was sometimes rendered as "Gail" or "Gaille," while in French, it appeared as "Gaylord" or "Gaillard."
Despite its ancient origins, the name Gayl has maintained a certain timeless quality, with notable figures bearing the name throughout various historical periods. These include Gayl Lussac (1778-1850), a prominent French chemist and physicist known for his contributions to the study of gases, and Gayl Falkner (1819-1884), an American novelist and poet who was a celebrated figure in the literary circles of the 19th century.
People
Gayl + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gayl 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
Gayl: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gayl?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 362 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gayl 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 946,835 US residents.
Is Gayl a common name?
We classify Gayl as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 622 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Gayl most popular?
The single biggest year for Gayl was 1952, when 43 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gayl is about 71 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Gayl a female name?
Yes, 97.6% of people registered as Gayl 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.