Gail

#8,362 for girls in 2025, 12 births · Last seen for boys in 1989 at #6,941
Given to girls 95.8% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1951 · 9,886 births
Debut · girls
5 births
In top 100 · girls
25 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
201,746
since 1881

Gail over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201940peak #36, 1951girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#8,36212—
2024#6,64217—
2023#5,75221—
2022#8,03213—
2021#5,95520—
2020#6,08319—
2019#7,34215—
2018#6,52118—
2017#8,29913—
2016#6,18620—
2015#7,61315—
2014#8,48513—
2013#5,48624—
2012#5,89522—
2011#8,19614—
2010#7,88015—
2009#6,81119—
2008#6,79919—
2007#5,89523—
2006#6,12521—
2005#5,26624—
2004#3,26546—
2003#3,73137—
2002#4,17930—
2001#4,32128—
2000#3,52737—
1999#3,14841—
1998#2,42957—
1997#2,30958—
1996#2,15163—
1995#2,39454—
1994#2,10265—
1993#1,85477—
1992#1,63093—
1991#1,375117—
1990#1,279127—
1989#1,225131#6,9416
1988#1,129136#6,4266
1987#1,064144#4,9688
1986#1,001154#6,7215
1985#838194—
1984#698238#6,3155
1983#627275#5,4846
1982#593306#5,6196
1981#624290#2,68017
1980#605303#5,5256
1979#536350#3,16813
1978#495392#3,40011
1977#484392#2,91014
1976#425475#2,24520
1975#370560#1,83526
1974#346628#1,83225
1973#312746#1,58630
1972#267987#1,45334
1971#2491,184#1,35239
1970#2221,424#1,79424
1969#2021,562#1,30237
1968#1801,802#1,36632
1967#1632,022#1,23137
1966#1512,301#1,19439
1965#1342,859#1,23338
1964#1253,446#1,23639
1963#1054,104#1,05252
1962#1034,380#93965
1961#944,973#88275
1960#905,428#1,00858
1959#756,344#747105
1958#726,608#79089
1957#547,952#738103
1956#498,435#699112
1955#428,972#685115
1954#379,726#694108
1953#399,585#576155
1952#399,760#543167
1951#369,886#505180
1950#428,350#510173
1949#517,225#456210
1948#516,603#468202
1947#497,242#469205
1946#496,227#438209
1945#524,832#459167
1944#564,526#438195
1943#554,810#425213
1942#604,445#404227
1941#683,609#414199
1940#653,621#424190
1939#733,355#384217
1938#773,214#408193
1937#992,635#371218
1936#1012,342#367220
1935#1271,800#393194
1934#1641,176#373212
1933#264541#415171
1932#337354#454156
1931#415239#493135
1930#476198#484151
1929#516172#483147
1928#528173#455176
1927#515186#560122
1926#483206#439189
1925#563163#449179
1924#568165#470172
1923#581154#417208
1922#609142#467175
1921#483204#462177
1920#523181#466171
1919#494184#444176
1918#465206#455170
1917#434217#450158
1916#456196#462151
1915#551135#459143
1914#553102#52588
1913#67858#55261
1912#68953#66840
1911#76632#64423
1910#73733#56925
1909#70632#95110
1908#70930#74413
1907#63135#55919
1906#61134#70912
1905#1,01114#9198
1904#55936#68612
1903#58931#52717
1902#64826#68711
1901#63025#59612
1900#67628#9029
1899#52632#7868
1898#57132#66311
1897#52132#9426
1896#48736#7789
1895#52032#57913
1894#62822#66810
1893#48731#53813
1892#61621#64111
1891#47529#7667
1890#57820—
1889#58919#8786
1888#66315#8157
1887#7889—
1886#65712#8456
1885#52017—
1884#7938—
1883#6928—
1882#6788#7547
1881#8305—
1880——
First appearance
1881

The first year at least five girls were named Gail! It came in at #830, and was given to 5 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1881, when fewer than 6 girls a year got the name.

Where Gail is popular in 1940

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Gail, so not publishedAKMaine: #44 for girls · 41 births · 1 in 150 girlsMEVermont: #44 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 140 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #29 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 95 girlsNHWashington: #41 for girls · 62 births · 1 in 186 girlsWAIdaho: #74 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 285 girlsIDMontana: #59 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 214 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #68 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 266 girlsNDMinnesota: #50 for girls · 106 births · 1 in 214 girlsMNIllinois: #60 for girls · 209 births · 1 in 269 girlsILWisconsin: #49 for girls · 117 births · 1 in 207 girlsWIMichigan: #48 for girls · 208 births · 1 in 210 girlsMINew York: #30 for girls · 622 births · 1 in 144 girlsNYMassachusetts: #33 for girls · 239 births · 1 in 123 girlsMARhode Island: #31 for girls · 39 births · 1 in 116 girlsRIOregon: #58 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 264 girlsORNevada: #29 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 75 girlsNVWyoming: #100 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 331 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #69 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 278 girlsSDIowa: #131 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 822 girlsIAIndiana: #112 for girls · 43 births · 1 in 625 girlsINOhio: #69 for girls · 169 births · 1 in 312 girlsOHPennsylvania: #85 for girls · 223 births · 1 in 336 girlsPANew Jersey: #30 for girls · 219 births · 1 in 118 girlsNJConnecticut: #27 for girls · 90 births · 1 in 118 girlsCTCalifornia: #44 for girls · 248 births · 1 in 201 girlsCAUtah: #105 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 455 girlsUTColorado: #98 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 379 girlsCONebraska: #104 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 514 girlsNEMissouri: #93 for girls · 61 births · 1 in 458 girlsMOKentucky: #260 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 1,791 girlsKYWest Virginia: #139 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 701 girlsWVVirginia: #189 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 1,030 girlsVAMaryland: #121 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 542 girlsMDDelaware: #67 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 228 girlsDEArizona: #194 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 808 girlsAZNew Mexico: #227 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 978 girlsNMKansas: #129 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 684 girlsKSArkansas: #242 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,365 girlsARTennessee: #108 for girls · 54 births · 1 in 522 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #134 for girls · 66 births · 1 in 571 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #176 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 782 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #57 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 211 girlsDCOklahoma: #179 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 917 girlsOKLouisiana: #80 for girls · 80 births · 1 in 293 girlsLAMississippi: #266 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 1,508 girlsMSAlabama: #106 for girls · 68 births · 1 in 434 girlsALGeorgia: #131 for girls · 59 births · 1 in 538 girlsGAHawaii: #93 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 307 girlsHITexas: #195 for girls · 66 births · 1 in 911 girlsTXFlorida: #95 for girls · 40 births · 1 in 371 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Connecticut#27 · 1 in 118
  2. Nevada#29 · 1 in 75
  3. New Hampshire#29 · 1 in 95
  4. New Jersey#30 · 1 in 118
  5. New York#30 · 1 in 144

Best ever in a state: #8 in Hawaii, 1951.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Connecticut#27901 in 118
Nevada#2971 in 75
New Hampshire#29351 in 95
New Jersey#302191 in 118
New York#306221 in 144
Rhode Island#31391 in 116
Massachusetts#332391 in 123
Washington#41621 in 186
California#442481 in 201
Maine#44411 in 150
Vermont#44181 in 140
Michigan#482081 in 210
Wisconsin#491171 in 207
Minnesota#501061 in 214
District of Columbia#57291 in 211
Oregon#58271 in 264
Montana#59201 in 214
Illinois#602091 in 269
Delaware#6771 in 228
North Dakota#68201 in 266
Ohio#691691 in 312
South Dakota#69171 in 278
Idaho#74151 in 285
Louisiana#80801 in 293
Pennsylvania#852231 in 336
Hawaii#93111 in 307
Missouri#93611 in 458
Florida#95401 in 371
Colorado#98241 in 379
Wyoming#10051 in 331
Nebraska#104181 in 514
Utah#105111 in 455
Alabama#106681 in 434
Tennessee#108541 in 522
Indiana#112431 in 625
Maryland#121241 in 542
Kansas#129181 in 684
Georgia#131591 in 538
Iowa#131241 in 822
North Carolina#134661 in 571
West Virginia#139271 in 701
South Carolina#176281 in 782
Oklahoma#179221 in 917
Virginia#189241 in 1,030
Arizona#19461 in 808
Texas#195661 in 911
New Mexico#22761 in 978
Arkansas#242141 in 1,365
Kentucky#260161 in 1,791
Mississippi#266151 in 1,508
Alaska———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Gail
Momentum · girls
Falling
  • 1,720 spots since 2024 (#6,642 → #8,362)
  • 2,279 spots since 2020 (#6,083 → #8,362)
  • 749 spots since 2015 (#7,613 → #8,362)
  • Biggest jump: 400 spots in 1906 (#1,011 → #611)
  • Biggest drop: 452 spots in 1905 (#559 → #1,011)
Rise & fade · girls
70 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1881
  • Peaked 1951 at #36 (9,886 births)
  • Births halved by 1962, 11 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 25 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 25 yrs · run 1937–1961
  • Top 1,000: 104 yrs · run 1906–1985
Share of babies · girls
1 in 182
  • Highest: 1 in 182 girls born in 1951 were named Gail (0.55%)
  • Latest: 1 in 133,939 girls born in 2025 (0.00%)
Era · girls
The 1950s
  • 42.4% of all girls named Gail (85,618) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s101#520 (1885)#690
1890s287#475 (1891)#541
1900s291#559 (1904)#677
1910s1,216#434 (1917)#582
1920s1,746#483 (1926)#537
1930s15,854#73 (1939)#213
1940s53,140#49 (1947)#56
1950s85,618#36 (1951)#49
1960s32,877#90 (1960)#135
1970s7,138#222 (1970)#371
1980s2,171#593 (1982)#840
1990s752#1,279 (1990)#2,067
2000s284#3,265 (2004)#4,992
2010s169#5,486 (2013)#7,190
2020s102#5,752 (2023)#6,804

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Gail in 1940

girls
#65
3,621 births · 1 in 316 girls
boys
#424
190 births · 1 in 6,101 boys

Top girls' names in 1940

  1. #1Mary56,216
  2. #2Barbara36,736
  3. #3Patricia32,665
  4. #4Judith22,385
  5. #5Betty22,077
  6. #6Carol21,759
  7. #7Nancy19,737
  8. #8Linda18,370
  9. #9Shirley17,881
  10. #10Sandra16,153
  11. #65Gail3,621

Top boys' names in 1940

  1. #1James62,481
  2. #2Robert61,198
  3. #3John54,786
  4. #4William44,779
  5. #5Richard37,425
  6. #6Charles31,689
  7. #7David27,690
  8. #8Thomas23,991
  9. #9Donald23,115
  10. #10Ronald20,741
  11. #424Gail190
More about 1940

girls

1,143,528 girls got a published name in 1940; 1 in 316 of them was named Gail, which outranked 98.7% of the 5,028 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Gail
  1. #62Sylvia3,802
  2. #63Joann3,789
  3. #64Marjorie3,681
  4. #65Gail3,621
  5. #66Ruby3,619
  6. #67Dolores3,604
  7. #68Eleanor3,584
Biggest movers since 1939
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,494Scarlett#3,429 → #935
  2. ↑ 1,465Lonna#2,206 → #741
  3. ↑ 834Pam#1,797 → #963
  4. ↑ 659Jody#1,638 → #979
  5. ↑ 633Laraine#1,474 → #841
Fallers
  1. ↓ 481Fredia#996 → #1,477
  2. ↓ 430Eleanora#974 → #1,404
  3. ↓ 375Danielle#811 → #1,186
  4. ↓ 342Eloisa#930 → #1,272
  5. ↓ 298Coral#996 → #1,294

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,159,172 boys got a published name in 1940; 1 in 6,101 of them was named Gail, which outranked 89.2% of the 3,937 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Gail
  1. #418Simon193
  2. #422Hector192
  3. #422Kennith192
  4. #424Gail190
  5. #424Reuben190
  6. #426Denny187
  7. #427Buford186
  8. #427Emanuel186

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1939
Risers
  1. ↑ 565Whitney#1,458 → #893
  2. ↑ 447Gonzalo#1,297 → #850
  3. ↑ 419Weston#1,323 → #904
  4. ↑ 368Ashley#1,272 → #904
  5. ↑ 366Agustin#1,238 → #872
Fallers
  1. ↓ 886Montie#916 → #1,802
  2. ↓ 446Verlon#888 → #1,334
  3. ↓ 394Issac#857 → #1,251
  4. ↓ 392Otho#942 → #1,334
  5. ↓ 384Pearl#867 → #1,251

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1940 →