Fun Facts About the Name Gamble
- 118 babies named Gamble: U.S. records list 118 babies given the name Gamble from 1880 through 2025. Even 5 girls received the name Gamble - about 1 girl for every 23 boys.
What Does the Name Gamble Mean?
Gamble is an English surname used as a given name. Its usual origin is the Old Norse personal name Gamall, from the adjective gamall, "old." The name was established in England by Scandinavian settlement, where it appears in Middle English as Gamel and Gamell. The literal sense is "old" or "old one," and as a personal name it could describe an older man.
The surname is not derived from the English verb gamble, meaning "to wager," which is recorded much later. A connection with the Norman place name Gamaches has sometimes been suggested, but it is uncertain and is not needed to explain the common northern English surname.
Gamble Name History & Origins
The personal name Gamall was brought to England by Norse-speaking settlers who arrived from the ninth century onward, particularly in the northern and eastern regions that became the Danelaw. It became one of many Scandinavian names used locally, and medieval English records preserve it as Gamel and Gamell. As hereditary surnames developed, the name became a family name in its own right, with the spelling Gamble becoming established in northern England, especially Yorkshire and neighboring counties.
The surname was later carried to Ireland, notably to Ulster, during English and Scottish settlement in the seventeenth century. Its use as a first name is a transferred-surname practice rather than the survival of an ancient given name; in that use it belongs to modern English-speaking naming, not to a separate medieval tradition.
How Popular is the Name Gamble?
Gamble has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2010. Its best rank was #6,149 in 2010.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | #6,894 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | #12,879 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #11,053 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #11,218 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #11,227 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #11,213 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #7,294 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2015 | #9,894 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #11,177 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #9,065 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2012 | #10,064 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #11,294 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2010 | #6,149 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2009 | #7,892 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2007 | #8,416 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 2006 | #11,094 | 6 | 0.0003% |
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 Boy Names That Start with G
How the Name Gamble 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.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Gamble's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Gamble's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.