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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201957peak #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 1957

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #105 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 344 girlsAKMaine: #43 for girls · 62 births · 1 in 158 girlsMEVermont: #60 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 198 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #28 for girls · 45 births · 1 in 122 girlsNHWashington: #57 for girls · 116 births · 1 in 248 girlsWAIdaho: #79 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 303 girlsIDMontana: #40 for girls · 48 births · 1 in 150 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #42 for girls · 42 births · 1 in 159 girlsNDMinnesota: #54 for girls · 185 births · 1 in 208 girlsMNIllinois: #44 for girls · 526 births · 1 in 206 girlsILWisconsin: #40 for girls · 274 births · 1 in 160 girlsWIMichigan: #45 for girls · 482 births · 1 in 197 girlsMINew York: #39 for girls · 934 births · 1 in 181 girlsNYMassachusetts: #33 for girls · 442 births · 1 in 122 girlsMARhode Island: #18 for girls · 106 births · 1 in 80 girlsRIOregon: #64 for girls · 61 births · 1 in 261 girlsORNevada: #66 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 217 girlsNVWyoming: #37 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 143 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #73 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 295 girlsSDIowa: #94 for girls · 72 births · 1 in 397 girlsIAIndiana: #88 for girls · 141 births · 1 in 368 girlsINOhio: #69 for girls · 390 births · 1 in 285 girlsOHPennsylvania: #48 for girls · 487 births · 1 in 243 girlsPANew Jersey: #39 for girls · 345 births · 1 in 167 girlsNJConnecticut: #32 for girls · 179 births · 1 in 139 girlsCTCalifornia: #62 for girls · 585 births · 1 in 280 girlsCAUtah: #143 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 585 girlsUTColorado: #77 for girls · 60 births · 1 in 311 girlsCONebraska: #74 for girls · 46 births · 1 in 308 girlsNEMissouri: #61 for girls · 181 births · 1 in 250 girlsMOKentucky: #119 for girls · 58 births · 1 in 582 girlsKYWest Virginia: #97 for girls · 45 births · 1 in 439 girlsWVVirginia: #62 for girls · 159 births · 1 in 261 girlsVAMaryland: #40 for girls · 164 births · 1 in 185 girlsMDDelaware: #33 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 155 girlsDEArizona: #113 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 427 girlsAZNew Mexico: #175 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 717 girlsNMKansas: #80 for girls · 64 births · 1 in 340 girlsKSArkansas: #94 for girls · 44 births · 1 in 422 girlsARTennessee: #88 for girls · 88 births · 1 in 428 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #80 for girls · 140 births · 1 in 362 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #71 for girls · 88 births · 1 in 323 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #49 for girls · 67 births · 1 in 203 girlsDCOklahoma: #87 for girls · 53 births · 1 in 412 girlsOKLouisiana: #59 for girls · 160 births · 1 in 249 girlsLAMississippi: #104 for girls · 57 births · 1 in 457 girlsMSAlabama: #103 for girls · 77 births · 1 in 476 girlsALGeorgia: #57 for girls · 185 births · 1 in 249 girlsGAHawaii: #33 for girls · 43 births · 1 in 141 girlsHITexas: #116 for girls · 211 births · 1 in 547 girlsTXFlorida: #43 for girls · 242 births · 1 in 190 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Rhode Island#18 · 1 in 80
  2. New Hampshire#28 · 1 in 122
  3. Connecticut#32 · 1 in 139
  4. Massachusetts#33 · 1 in 122
  5. Hawaii#33 · 1 in 141

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Rhode Island#181061 in 80
New Hampshire#28451 in 122
Connecticut#321791 in 139
Delaware#33311 in 155
Hawaii#33431 in 141
Massachusetts#334421 in 122
Wyoming#37201 in 143
New Jersey#393451 in 167
New York#399341 in 181
Maryland#401641 in 185
Montana#40481 in 150
Wisconsin#402741 in 160
North Dakota#42421 in 159
Florida#432421 in 190
Maine#43621 in 158
Illinois#445261 in 206
Michigan#454821 in 197
Pennsylvania#484871 in 243
District of Columbia#49671 in 203
Minnesota#541851 in 208
Georgia#571851 in 249
Washington#571161 in 248
Louisiana#591601 in 249
Vermont#60181 in 198
Missouri#611811 in 250
California#625851 in 280
Virginia#621591 in 261
Oregon#64611 in 261
Nevada#66101 in 217
Ohio#693901 in 285
South Carolina#71881 in 323
South Dakota#73241 in 295
Nebraska#74461 in 308
Colorado#77601 in 311
Idaho#79211 in 303
Kansas#80641 in 340
North Carolina#801401 in 362
Oklahoma#87531 in 412
Indiana#881411 in 368
Tennessee#88881 in 428
Arkansas#94441 in 422
Iowa#94721 in 397
West Virginia#97451 in 439
Alabama#103771 in 476
Mississippi#104571 in 457
Alaska#10581 in 344
Arizona#113321 in 427
Texas#1162111 in 547
Kentucky#119581 in 582
Utah#143181 in 585
New Mexico#175161 in 717

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 1957

girls
#54
7,952 births · 1 in 257 girls
boys
#738
103 births · 1 in 20,944 boys

Top girls' names in 1957

  1. #1Mary61,102
  2. #2Susan45,954
  3. #3Linda44,517
  4. #4Debra42,728
  5. #5Karen40,591
  6. #6Deborah40,096
  7. #7Cynthia39,340
  8. #8Patricia39,283
  9. #9Barbara29,692
  10. #10Donna28,042
  11. #54Gail7,952

Top boys' names in 1957

  1. #1Michael92,781
  2. #2James84,337
  3. #3David82,403
  4. #4Robert81,765
  5. #5John79,033
  6. #6William56,852
  7. #7Mark52,841
  8. #8Richard52,446
  9. #9Thomas44,625
  10. #10Steven36,842
  11. #738Gail103
More about 1957

girls

2,044,851 girls got a published name in 1957; 1 in 257 of them was named Gail, which outranked 99.2% of the 7,015 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 20.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Gail
  1. #51Vicki8,105
  2. #52Rhonda8,051
  3. #53Judith8,024
  4. #54Gail7,952
  5. #55Sherry7,804
  6. #56Jane7,788
  7. #57Darlene7,784
Biggest movers since 1956
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,944Tammi#3,696 → #752
  2. ↑ 1,310Tamela#2,151 → #841
  3. ↑ 1,298Tammie#1,662 → #364
  4. ↑ 993Tia#1,968 → #975
  5. ↑ 676Tamera#1,287 → #611
Fallers
  1. ↓ 423Corliss#878 → #1,301
  2. ↓ 399Glynis#977 → #1,376
  3. ↓ 367Merrie#977 → #1,344
  4. ↓ 303Taryn#935 → #1,238
  5. ↓ 291Glendora#963 → #1,254

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

boys

2,157,236 boys got a published name in 1957; 1 in 20,944 of them was named Gail, which outranked 83.8% of the 4,552 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 30.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Gail
  1. #734Connie104
  2. #734Curtiss104
  3. #734Judson104
  4. #738Gail103
  5. #738Denver103
  6. #738Fritz103
  7. #738Quintin103
  8. #744Arlen102
  9. #744Nickolas102
  10. #744Rand102

Tied with 5 names at #738; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1956
Risers
  1. ↑ 714Dion#1,642 → #928
  2. ↑ 404Wes#1,317 → #913
  3. ↑ 371Antoine#1,232 → #861
  4. ↑ 340Domenick#1,335 → #995
  5. ↑ 329Mitch#868 → #539
Fallers
  1. ↓ 458Lannie#999 → #1,457
  2. ↓ 402Desi#986 → #1,388
  3. ↓ 354Gavin#924 → #1,278
  4. ↓ 317Murphy#917 → #1,234
  5. ↓ 288Eliot#897 → #1,185

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

See the top 100 for 1957 →