Fun Facts About the Name Gale
- More than 32 thousand babies named Gale: U.S. records list 32,343 babies given the name Gale from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 12,437 boys received the name Gale - about 1 boy for every 2 girls.
What Does the Name Gale Mean?
Gale is an English given name with two established sources. One is the surname Gale, usually derived from Middle English gaile, "jovial" or "merry," from Old French gai. The other is the feminine name Gail, a short form of Abigail; Abigail comes from Hebrew Avigayil, commonly interpreted as "my father is joy." These origins are independent, though the identical sound of the surname and the Abigail short form has caused the two to overlap in use.
Gale Name History & Origins
The surname Gale is found in medieval England and belongs to the large group of English surnames taken from nicknames. Its usual source is Middle English gaile, a word related to Old French gai. Like many English surnames, it was later transferred to given-name use.
The feminine side of the name is tied to Gail, an English short form of Abigail. Abigail is a biblical name: the Hebrew Avigayil is the name of Nabal's wife, who later becomes one of King David's wives in the Old Testament. The Hebrew name passed into English through the Latin Bible as Abigail, and Gail developed as a familiar shortening. Gale is a homophone variant of Gail.
A well-known literary use is Dorothy Gale in L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900); Baum used Gale as the character's surname, not as a new invention. The common noun gale, meaning a strong wind, is unrelated to the personal name's history.
How Popular is the Name Gale?
Gale recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1957. Its best rank was #245 in 1957.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | #15,972 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #12,899 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #16,703 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #15,253 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #15,470 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #12,208 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #15,860 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #13,241 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #10,436 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1996 | #14,246 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #10,896 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #14,170 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #10,859 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1991 | #8,832 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #7,482 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1989 | #8,258 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1988 | #7,917 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1987 | #5,392 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1986 | #4,415 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1985 | #3,894 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1984 | #6,446 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1983 | #3,269 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 1982 | #2,659 | 35 | 0.0021% |
| 1981 | #4,048 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1980 | #2,890 | 31 | 0.0019% |
| 1979 | #3,097 | 27 | 0.0017% |
| 1978 | #2,584 | 33 | 0.0022% |
| 1977 | #2,436 | 36 | 0.0023% |
| 1976 | #2,110 | 41 | 0.0028% |
| 1975 | #1,692 | 56 | 0.0038% |
| 1974 | #1,503 | 65 | 0.0044% |
| 1973 | #1,391 | 71 | 0.0049% |
| 1972 | #1,141 | 96 | 0.0063% |
| 1971 | #1,182 | 97 | 0.0058% |
| 1970 | #982 | 128 | 0.0073% |
| 1969 | #829 | 155 | 0.0092% |
| 1968 | #792 | 160 | 0.0098% |
| 1967 | #669 | 206 | 0.0125% |
| 1966 | #621 | 234 | 0.0138% |
| 1965 | #640 | 234 | 0.0133% |
| 1964 | #583 | 290 | 0.0153% |
| 1963 | #538 | 324 | 0.0168% |
| 1962 | #539 | 329 | 0.0167% |
| 1961 | #446 | 478 | 0.0237% |
| 1960 | #393 | 587 | 0.0290% |
| 1959 | #320 | 852 | 0.0421% |
| 1958 | #272 | 1,052 | 0.0523% |
| 1957 | #245 | 1,210 | 0.0592% |
| 1956 | #255 | 1,077 | 0.0536% |
| 1955 | #260 | 1,030 | 0.0527% |
| 1954 | #259 | 1,015 | 0.0523% |
| 1953 | #264 | 947 | 0.0503% |
| 1952 | #283 | 820 | 0.0442% |
| 1951 | #275 | 814 | 0.0452% |
| 1950 | #301 | 662 | 0.0386% |
| 1949 | #319 | 591 | 0.0345% |
| 1948 | #316 | 600 | 0.0353% |
| 1947 | #271 | 796 | 0.0449% |
| 1946 | #310 | 566 | 0.0360% |
| 1945 | #321 | 447 | 0.0342% |
| 1944 | #352 | 383 | 0.0289% |
| 1943 | #348 | 425 | 0.0305% |
| 1942 | #369 | 365 | 0.0270% |
| 1941 | #365 | 338 | 0.0280% |
| 1940 | #323 | 389 | 0.0340% |
| 1939 | #394 | 288 | 0.0263% |
| 1938 | #553 | 152 | 0.0138% |
| 1937 | #556 | 147 | 0.0138% |
| 1936 | #597 | 122 | 0.0117% |
| 1935 | #587 | 122 | 0.0116% |
| 1934 | #757 | 78 | 0.0075% |
| 1933 | #1,105 | 40 | 0.0040% |
| 1932 | #1,101 | 42 | 0.0039% |
| 1931 | #1,765 | 20 | 0.0019% |
| 1930 | #1,444 | 29 | 0.0026% |
| 1929 | #1,428 | 29 | 0.0026% |
| 1928 | #1,275 | 36 | 0.0031% |
| 1927 | #1,286 | 38 | 0.0032% |
| 1926 | #1,270 | 38 | 0.0032% |
| 1925 | #1,547 | 29 | 0.0024% |
| 1924 | #1,655 | 27 | 0.0022% |
| 1923 | #1,438 | 32 | 0.0027% |
| 1922 | #1,656 | 26 | 0.0022% |
| 1921 | #1,210 | 41 | 0.0033% |
| 1920 | #1,325 | 35 | 0.0029% |
| 1919 | #1,620 | 25 | 0.0022% |
| 1918 | #1,775 | 22 | 0.0019% |
| 1917 | #1,799 | 20 | 0.0018% |
| 1916 | #1,459 | 26 | 0.0025% |
| 1915 | #1,541 | 23 | 0.0023% |
| 1914 | #1,622 | 17 | 0.0022% |
| 1913 | #2,413 | 8 | 0.0013% |
| 1912 | #2,038 | 9 | 0.0016% |
| 1911 | #1,489 | 11 | 0.0026% |
| 1910 | #2,009 | 7 | 0.0018% |
| 1909 | #1,655 | 8 | 0.0023% |
| 1908 | #1,474 | 9 | 0.0027% |
| 1905 | #1,591 | 7 | 0.0024% |
| 1900 | #1,262 | 10 | 0.0033% |
| 1897 | #1,441 | 6 | 0.0026% |
| 1896 | #1,672 | 5 | 0.0021% |
| 1893 | #1,509 | 5 | 0.0023% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,581 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2024 | #6,562 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2023 | #6,026 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2022 | #11,322 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #9,900 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2019 | #10,091 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #6,135 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2017 | #7,769 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #9,118 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2015 | #9,015 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #8,363 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2013 | #9,064 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #13,176 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2007 | #10,127 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #12,026 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #8,978 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2002 | #11,262 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #7,691 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1997 | #8,520 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #8,284 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #5,594 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1993 | #4,537 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1992 | #6,325 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1991 | #5,230 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #6,027 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #4,112 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1988 | #4,926 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1987 | #4,689 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1986 | #5,534 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1985 | #3,888 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1984 | #3,006 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1983 | #3,706 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1982 | #3,361 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1981 | #2,011 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1980 | #2,571 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1979 | #2,496 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1978 | #2,509 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1977 | #2,297 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1976 | #2,072 | 23 | 0.0015% |
| 1975 | #1,642 | 31 | 0.0020% |
| 1974 | #1,206 | 48 | 0.0031% |
| 1973 | #1,191 | 48 | 0.0031% |
| 1972 | #1,371 | 38 | 0.0023% |
| 1971 | #1,029 | 63 | 0.0036% |
| 1970 | #1,136 | 53 | 0.0029% |
| 1969 | #930 | 68 | 0.0038% |
| 1968 | #1,010 | 54 | 0.0031% |
| 1967 | #895 | 65 | 0.0037% |
| 1966 | #899 | 65 | 0.0036% |
| 1965 | #821 | 81 | 0.0044% |
| 1964 | #802 | 89 | 0.0045% |
| 1963 | #797 | 91 | 0.0045% |
| 1962 | #786 | 94 | 0.0045% |
| 1961 | #770 | 101 | 0.0048% |
| 1960 | #691 | 129 | 0.0061% |
| 1959 | #730 | 110 | 0.0052% |
| 1958 | #661 | 136 | 0.0064% |
| 1957 | #619 | 154 | 0.0071% |
| 1956 | #545 | 193 | 0.0091% |
| 1955 | #517 | 199 | 0.0097% |
| 1954 | #454 | 254 | 0.0125% |
| 1953 | #438 | 263 | 0.0133% |
| 1952 | #381 | 324 | 0.0167% |
| 1951 | #375 | 329 | 0.0175% |
| 1950 | #372 | 333 | 0.0186% |
| 1949 | #381 | 314 | 0.0177% |
| 1948 | #361 | 349 | 0.0199% |
| 1947 | #352 | 377 | 0.0206% |
| 1946 | #372 | 305 | 0.0188% |
| 1945 | #352 | 287 | 0.0213% |
| 1944 | #355 | 283 | 0.0208% |
| 1943 | #351 | 302 | 0.0212% |
| 1942 | #352 | 298 | 0.0216% |
| 1941 | #341 | 287 | 0.0234% |
| 1940 | #323 | 307 | 0.0265% |
| 1939 | #321 | 291 | 0.0263% |
| 1938 | #324 | 292 | 0.0263% |
| 1937 | #322 | 284 | 0.0266% |
| 1936 | #345 | 250 | 0.0241% |
| 1935 | #351 | 244 | 0.0234% |
| 1934 | #336 | 262 | 0.0254% |
| 1933 | #372 | 213 | 0.0215% |
| 1932 | #372 | 224 | 0.0215% |
| 1931 | #435 | 169 | 0.0163% |
| 1930 | #419 | 199 | 0.0181% |
| 1929 | #456 | 168 | 0.0156% |
| 1928 | #447 | 181 | 0.0163% |
| 1927 | #380 | 241 | 0.0214% |
| 1926 | #437 | 192 | 0.0173% |
| 1925 | #435 | 190 | 0.0170% |
| 1924 | #384 | 243 | 0.0215% |
| 1923 | #390 | 232 | 0.0212% |
| 1922 | #463 | 180 | 0.0165% |
| 1921 | #423 | 205 | 0.0186% |
| 1920 | #457 | 176 | 0.0165% |
| 1919 | #494 | 145 | 0.0148% |
| 1918 | #475 | 155 | 0.0153% |
| 1917 | #521 | 123 | 0.0133% |
| 1916 | #538 | 114 | 0.0128% |
| 1915 | #552 | 104 | 0.0123% |
| 1914 | #520 | 89 | 0.0136% |
| 1913 | #568 | 59 | 0.0115% |
| 1912 | #653 | 42 | 0.0098% |
| 1911 | #677 | 22 | 0.0097% |
| 1910 | #948 | 12 | 0.0062% |
| 1909 | #561 | 22 | 0.0134% |
| 1908 | #599 | 19 | 0.0123% |
| 1907 | #679 | 15 | 0.0102% |
| 1905 | #761 | 11 | 0.0083% |
| 1904 | #1,120 | 6 | 0.0047% |
| 1903 | #671 | 12 | 0.0101% |
| 1902 | #815 | 9 | 0.0073% |
| 1901 | #653 | 11 | 0.0103% |
| 1900 | #865 | 10 | 0.0066% |
| 1898 | #1,053 | 6 | 0.0049% |
| 1897 | #591 | 13 | 0.0115% |
| 1895 | #1,017 | 6 | 0.0051% |
| 1894 | #603 | 12 | 0.0104% |
| 1893 | #628 | 11 | 0.0098% |
| 1890 | #1,057 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1888 | #1,090 | 5 | 0.0041% |
| 1887 | #861 | 6 | 0.0059% |
| 1883 | #949 | 5 | 0.0048% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Most Popular Girl Names That Start with G
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How the Name Gale Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are introspective, prophetic, philosophical, and soul searching, but also can be analytical, critical and opinionated. You think deeply and clearly, have an air of mystery, can be solitary and secretive. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.
✦ Gale's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Gale's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.