Gail
Meaning
short form of Abigail, traditionally 'father's joy'
The formal names behind Gail
Gail is an established short form of this name.
Abigail · Hebrew origin · "my father's joy," from the Hebrew Avigayil, the quick-witted wife of David in the Bible; a Puritan favorite that fell out of use when "abigail" became slang for a lady's maid, then returned in the 1970s to become a modern staple. Abby for short
Gail's name family
One shared root links 4 names in English.
Shared root: from Hebrew Avigayil "my father is joy", the quick-witted wife of King David
The family
More branches
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Gail peaked in the 1950s.
See popularity in Brazil
Popularity in Brazil
57 people · the #60,880 first name in Brazil · median age 6
The census also counted 24 born between 2020 and August 2022, too recent a span to chart.
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
When you meet Gail
Most people given the name Gail in the United States were born between 1940 and 1969. The Gail you meet today is most often in her 60s or 70s.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Gail deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Gail truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Gail fits with your family’s names and surname.
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