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Gayle

girl name
Origin
English
Syllables
1
Peak era
1930s/1960s
Today
▬ Steady

Meaning

variant of Gail; short for Abigail, 'father's joy'

Gayle'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

GayleEnglish · variantAbigailEnglish

More branches

AbbieEnglish · short formGailEnglish · short form

Popularity, 1890–2024

1890speak 1930s2020s

Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Gayle peaked in the 1930s and the 1960s in nearly equal measure.

When you meet Gayle

Most people given the name Gayle in the United States were born between 1940 and 1969. The Gayle 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.

Names that fit alongside Gayle

Madge June Millie Gaye Emmie Lottie

The Gayle deep dive

Written for you · $1.99 →

Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Gayle 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 Gayle fits with your family’s names and surname.

Both reports, explained →

Does Gayle fit YOUR family?

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