Gael
Boy name · Celtic · Greek · Irish
Meaninga Gael · Celtic
- US rank
- #86
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #86 in 2025
3,860 babies were named Gael in the US in 2025. It has climbed 26 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1935–2025
US births per million boys, 1919–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Gael you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Gael
Gael García Bernal
Mexican actor and producer
Choose Gael and your child shares a first name with Gael García Bernal, a Mexican actor and producer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Gael, like who?” Gael García Bernal's Wikipedia article is available in 59 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Gael García Bernal on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Harald Krichel, CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 442 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Gael, 3,860 babies in all. In a school of 500 kids, there'd probably be one other Gael.
- HistoryGael first shows up in US birth records in 1919, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 106 years since.
- Best yearGael is at its all-time high right now: #86 in 2025.
- Then vs nowGael is 729× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 322,581 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 442.
- TrendGael has climbed 26 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #86. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- Where it's lovedGael is most popular in California, where it ranks #33, followed by Texas (#34) and Nevada (#54). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Celtic, Gael means “a Gael”. Our records link it to Celtic, Greek and Irish roots.
- OriginGael is the #9 most popular Celtic boy name in the US. That's out of 542 Celtic boy and unisex names in our list.
About the name Gael
Gael is a boy name of Celtic, Greek and Irish origin meaning “a Gael”. It has 4 letters and 1 syllable, starting with G and ending in “-ael”. US birth records list Gael for boys from 1919 to 2025, in 46 of those 107 years. Its best year was 2025, when it ranked #86 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #86, with 3,860 babies.
Origin:Celtic namesGreek namesIrish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 10 | 95,602 girls |
| 1940s | 12 | 81,103 girls |
| 1950s | 8.3 | 120,048 girls |
| 1960s | 4.3 | 235,294 girls |
| 1970s | 1.2 | 862,069 girls |
| 1990s | 0.3 | 3,703,704 girls |
| 2000s | 2.8 | 359,712 girls |
| 2010s | 4.0 | 249,377 girls |
| 2020s | 5.6 | 176,991 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 5.1 | 196,078 boys |
| 1920s | 0.9 | 1,111,111 boys |
| 1930s | 2.1 | 473,934 boys |
| 1940s | 1.7 | 588,235 boys |
| 1950s | 0.4 | 2,439,024 boys |
| 1980s | 0.3 | 3,333,333 boys |
| 1990s | 5.0 | 198,807 boys |
| 2000s | 342 | 2,920 boys |
| 2010s | 1,089 | 919 boys |
| 2020s | 2,089 | 479 boys |
More Celtic boy names
- Unisex name: Owen · well-born
- Unisex name: Logan · little hollow
- Unisex name: Rowan · little red-haired one
- Unisex name: Nolan · descendant of Nuallán
- Unisex name: Cameron · crooked nose
- Boy name: Ian · God is gracious
- Boy name: Arthur · possibly bear
- Unisex name: Ryan · little king
Questions about the name Gael
What does the name Gael mean?
Gael means “a Gael” in Celtic.
What is the origin of the name Gael?
Gael has Celtic, Greek, Irish roots in our records. Other Celtic names include Owen, Logan, Rowan.
Is Gael a boy or girl name?
Gael is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Gael?
Gael ranked #86 for US boys in 2025, given to 3,860 babies. Its best year was 2025 (#86).