Gay
Gender-neutral name · Anglo Saxon · English · French · German
- US rank
- Unranked
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #315 in 1943
0 babies were named Gay in the US in 2025.
Found on lists
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US births per million girls, 1886–2025
US births per million boys, 1883–2025
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Gay you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- HistoryGay first shows up in US birth records in 1883, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 142 years since.
- Best yearIts best year was 1943, when it reached #315.
About the name Gay
Gay is a gender-neutral name of Anglo Saxon, English and French origin. It has 3 letters and 1 syllable, starting with G and ending in “-gay”. US birth records list Gay for girls from 1886 to 1982, in 95 of those 97 years. Its best year was 1943, when it ranked #315 among girl names. It hasn't been given to 5 or more US babies in a year since 1982, so today it's a genuinely rare choice.
Origin:Anglo Saxon namesEnglish namesFrench namesGerman names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 62 | 16,077 girls |
| 1890s | 72 | 13,797 girls |
| 1900s | 62 | 16,106 girls |
| 1910s | 58 | 17,100 girls |
| 1920s | 63 | 15,926 girls |
| 1930s | 243 | 4,117 girls |
| 1940s | 299 | 3,346 girls |
| 1950s | 294 | 3,398 girls |
| 1960s | 181 | 5,526 girls |
| 1970s | 24 | 41,254 girls |
| 1980s | 1.2 | 857,143 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 24 | 41,617 boys |
| 1890s | 41 | 24,402 boys |
| 1900s | 12 | 81,967 boys |
| 1910s | 27 | 36,955 boys |
| 1920s | 23 | 42,717 boys |
| 1930s | 28 | 35,273 boys |
| 1940s | 19 | 52,521 boys |
| 1950s | 10 | 96,432 boys |
| 1960s | 3.8 | 263,852 boys |
| 1970s | 2.8 | 354,610 boys |
Other spellings of Gay
More Anglo Saxon names
- Girl name: Daisy · day's eye
- Girl name: Audrey · noble strength
- Girl name: Gemma · gem
- Unisex name: Tate · cheerful
- Girl name: Esme · esteemed
- Girl name: Gwendolyn · white ring
- Girl name: Florence · flourishing
- Girl name: Bonnie · pretty
Questions about the name Gay
What is the origin of the name Gay?
Gay has Anglo Saxon, English, French, German roots in our records. Other Anglo Saxon names include Daisy, Audrey, Gemma.
Is Gay a boy or girl name?
Both. Gay is used for boys and girls.
How popular is the name Gay?
Gay is rare: fewer than 5 US girls got it in 2025, and it was last given to 5 or more in 1982. It peaked at #315 in 1943.