Gayle Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
The name Gayle has its roots in Old English, meaning joyful or cheerful. It evolved from historical forms like Gael and Gail. The name is associated with positive traits and lacks biblical relevance. It gained popularity in the mid-20th century, and today it is seen as a classic name with a warm image.
The name Gayle is most popular in Hawaii, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Girl name among the Baby Boomers generation in the West region. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, Gayle has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West, stalled for female in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West, stalled for female in West. Across generations, 'Gayle' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 908th out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 534th out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 848th out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 2468th out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 8930th out of 16616 names. Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 761st out of 9107 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 255th out of 9204 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 172nd out of 12526 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 487th out of 19264 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 1768th out of 27321 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 7832nd out of 35406 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 13512th out of 30306 names. Discover how the name 'Gayle' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Gayle"
Pronunciation
/ɡeɪl/
Origin
Old English
Etymology
The name Gayle is derived from the Old English word 'gael', which means 'joyful' or 'cheerful'. It is also considered a variant of the name Abigail, which has Hebrew origins.
Meaning
joyful, cheerful
Language Evolution
Gael, Gail, Gayle
Historical Usage
The name Gayle became popular in the United States during the mid-20th century, particularly in the 1940s and 1950s.
Variants & Derivatives
Gail, Gale, Gailene
Modern Popularity & Image
Currently, Gayle is perceived as a classic yet somewhat vintage name, often associated with warmth and friendliness.
Famous People
Gayle King - American television personality and journalist, Gayle Forman - American author, Gayle Hunnicutt - American actress
Explore More Gayle Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Gayle"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "Gayle"
"Gayle" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 908th of 7545 | 906 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 534th of 6773 | 2,267 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 848th of 7552 | 1,473 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 2468th of 10718 | 247 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 8930th of 16616 | 44 |
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Girl | 761st of 9107 | 1,626 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Girl | 255th of 9204 | 12,688 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Girl | 172nd of 12526 | 38,918 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Girl | 487th of 19264 | 6,550 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Girl | 1768th of 27321 | 1,202 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Girl | 7832nd of 35406 | 226 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Girl | 13512th of 30306 | 69 |
Regional Popularity of "Gayle" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
40.89% 579th/1416 |
91.44% 1261st/1379 |
41.12% 973rd/2366 |
85.99% 982nd/1142 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
23.48% 363rd/1546 |
67.67% 1053rd/1556 |
25.24% 594th/2353 |
38.20% 591st/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
27.39% 610th/2227 |
- |
33.40% 953rd/2853 |
38.09% 1057th/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
60.98% 1791st/2937 |
- | - | - |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - | - | - |
Regional Popularity of "Gayle" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
36.30% 514th/1416 |
52.50% 724th/1379 |
54.10% 1280th/2366 |
44.40% 507th/1142 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
12.23% 189th/1546 |
16.84% 262nd/1556 |
13.17% 310th/2353 |
11.12% 172nd/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
6.33% 141st/2227 |
7.61% 185th/2430 |
8.45% 241st/2853 |
5.15% 143rd/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
12.84% 377th/2937 |
12.17% 424th/3483 |
19.44% 684th/3518 |
12.66% 512th/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
41.47% 1528th/3685 |
35.37% 1583rd/4475 |
46.88% 2435th/5194 |
31.55% 1993rd/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- |
100.00% 5164th/5164 |
- |
100.00% 7463rd/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - | - | - |
State-by-State Popularity of "Gayle"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Gayle" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.