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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201972peak #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 1972

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Gail, so not publishedAKMaine: #193 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 935 girlsMEVermont: #121 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 415 girlsVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Gail, so not publishedNHWashington: #299 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 1,745 girlsWAIdaho: #201 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 789 girlsIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Gail, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: #133 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 494 girlsNDMinnesota: #180 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 1,003 girlsMNIllinois: #204 for girls · 69 births · 1 in 1,081 girlsILWisconsin: #233 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 1,448 girlsWIMichigan: #199 for girls · 56 births · 1 in 1,105 girlsMINew York: #219 for girls · 96 births · 1 in 1,155 girlsNYMassachusetts: #192 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 1,141 girlsMARhode Island: #115 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 472 girlsRIOregon: #323 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 1,805 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Gail, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Gail, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Gail, so not publishedSDIowa: #254 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 1,584 girlsIAIndiana: #236 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 1,235 girlsINOhio: #232 for girls · 59 births · 1 in 1,262 girlsOHPennsylvania: #195 for girls · 65 births · 1 in 1,109 girlsPANew Jersey: #187 for girls · 43 births · 1 in 947 girlsNJConnecticut: #185 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 989 girlsCTCalifornia: #362 for girls · 67 births · 1 in 2,046 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Gail, so not publishedUTColorado: #257 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 1,211 girlsCONebraska: #204 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,039 girlsNEMissouri: #214 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 1,079 girlsMOKentucky: #327 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,159 girlsKYWest Virginia: #340 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 2,438 girlsWVVirginia: #280 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 1,741 girlsVAMaryland: #168 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 762 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Gail, so not publishedDEArizona: #329 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 1,608 girlsAZNew Mexico: #169 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 637 girlsNMKansas: #369 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 2,464 girlsKSArkansas: #396 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 2,617 girlsARTennessee: #379 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,831 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #277 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 1,668 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #299 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 1,746 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #271 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 1,234 girlsDCOklahoma: #270 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,358 girlsOKLouisiana: #395 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 2,411 girlsLAMississippi: #371 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 2,167 girlsMSAlabama: #377 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,414 girlsALGeorgia: #294 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 1,635 girlsGAHawaii: #257 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 890 girlsHITexas: #465 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 3,012 girlsTXFlorida: #241 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 1,236 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Rhode Island#115 · 1 in 472
  2. Vermont#121 · 1 in 415
  3. North Dakota#133 · 1 in 494
  4. Maryland#168 · 1 in 762
  5. New Mexico#169 · 1 in 637

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Rhode Island#115111 in 472
Vermont#12161 in 415
North Dakota#13381 in 494
Maryland#168271 in 762
New Mexico#169121 in 637
Minnesota#180241 in 1,003
Connecticut#185161 in 989
New Jersey#187431 in 947
Massachusetts#192301 in 1,141
Maine#19371 in 935
Pennsylvania#195651 in 1,109
Michigan#199561 in 1,105
Idaho#20161 in 789
Illinois#204691 in 1,081
Nebraska#20491 in 1,039
Missouri#214291 in 1,079
New York#219961 in 1,155
Ohio#232591 in 1,262
Wisconsin#233191 in 1,448
Indiana#236301 in 1,235
Florida#241361 in 1,236
Iowa#254111 in 1,584
Colorado#257131 in 1,211
Hawaii#25751 in 890
Oklahoma#270121 in 1,358
District of Columbia#27161 in 1,234
North Carolina#277221 in 1,668
Virginia#280171 in 1,741
Georgia#294221 in 1,635
South Carolina#299111 in 1,746
Washington#299111 in 1,745
Oregon#32371 in 1,805
Kentucky#327111 in 2,159
Arizona#32991 in 1,608
West Virginia#34051 in 2,438
California#362671 in 2,046
Kansas#36951 in 2,464
Mississippi#37181 in 2,167
Alabama#377101 in 2,414
Tennessee#379101 in 2,831
Louisiana#395111 in 2,411
Arkansas#39651 in 2,617
Texas#465321 in 3,012
Alaska
Delaware
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
South Dakota
Utah
Wyoming

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 1972

girls
#267
987 births · 1 in 1,541 girls
boys
#1,453
34 births · 1 in 47,694 boys

Top girls' names in 1972

  1. #1Jennifer63,600
  2. #2Michelle29,285
  3. #3Lisa27,543
  4. #4Kimberly26,282
  5. #5Amy25,873
  6. #6Angela23,561
  7. #7Melissa22,494
  8. #8Stephanie16,890
  9. #9Heather16,320
  10. #10Nicole15,755
  11. #267Gail987

Top boys' names in 1972

  1. #1Michael71,393
  2. #2Christopher52,172
  3. #3James47,063
  4. #4David46,322
  5. #5John43,158
  6. #6Robert43,013
  7. #7Jason37,423
  8. #8Brian36,306
  9. #9William30,510
  10. #10Matthew22,928
  11. #1,453Gail34
More about 1972

girls

1,521,244 girls got a published name in 1972; 1 in 1,541 of them was named Gail, which outranked 97.2% of the 9,666 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.6% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Gail
  1. #263Teri1,002
  2. #265Cheri995
  3. #265Marcia995
  4. #267Gail987
  5. #268Lynette983
  6. #269Rachael980
  7. #270Roberta978
Biggest movers since 1971
Risers
  1. 5,804Camisha#6,619#815
  2. 3,921Catina#4,123#202
  3. 1,842Cherilyn#2,665#823
  4. 1,789Chasity#2,542#753
  5. 1,694Keena#2,542#848
Fallers
  1. 517Shayla#836#1,353
  2. 428Raina#798#1,226
  3. 280Kendall#742#1,022
  4. 275Alycia#951#1,226
  5. 255Charisse#727#982

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

boys

1,621,608 boys got a published name in 1972; 1 in 47,694 of them was named Gail, which outranked 74.7% of the 5,751 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 26.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Gail
  1. #1,441Wally35
  2. #1,441Warner35
  3. #1,441Wilmer35
  4. #1,453Gail34
  5. #1,453Abe34
  6. #1,453Art34
  7. #1,453Brodie34
  8. #1,473Alphonse33
  9. #1,473Ambrose33
  10. #1,473Chistopher33

Tied with 19 names at #1,453; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1971
Risers
  1. 2,755Demond#3,146#391
  2. 1,286Cade#2,279#993
  3. 905Vidal#1,526#621
  4. 855Damond#1,784#929
  5. 849Kareem#1,254#405
Fallers
  1. 413Rich#914#1,327
  2. 401Monroe#947#1,348
  3. 317Laura#990#1,307
  4. 309Von#976#1,285
  5. 309Westley#998#1,307

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

See the top 100 for 1972