ESC 

Name Rank Total 

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1980

First Year

2026

Last Year

2026

Peak Year

#1072

Peak Rank

3K

Total Count

42

Years Active

🌍

## Meaning & Origin of Gaia

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures. 

In Greek mythology, Gaia, also spelled Gaea, is the personification of Earth. She is the mother of Uranus (Sky), with whom she conceived the Titans, the Cyclopes, and the Giants, as well as of Pontus (Sea), from whose union she bore the primordial sea gods. Her equivalent in the Roman pantheon was Terra.

Source: [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia) (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Read more → ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia)

📜Etymology

The Greek name Γαῖα ( Gaia .mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%} Ancient Greek : \[ ɡâi̯.a \] or \[ ɡâj.ja \] ) is a mostly epic, collateral form of Attic Γῆ ( Gē \[ ɡɛ̂ː \] ), and Doric Γᾶ ( Ga \[ ɡâː \] ), perhaps identical to Δᾶ ( Da \[ dâː \] ), both meaning " Earth ". Some scholars believe that the word is of uncertain origin. Beekes suggested a probable Pre-Greek origin. M.L. West derives the name from the Indo-European form \*dʰéǵʰōm (eart

[![Wikipedia thumbnail for Gaia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Gaziantep_Zeugma_museum_Gaia_mosaic_Gaia_mosaic_sept_2019_4022.jpg/330px-Gaziantep_Zeugma_museum_Gaia_mosaic_Gaia_mosaic_sept_2019_4022.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia)

📖

## The Story of Gaia

American parents first put Gaia on the record books as a baby girl name in 1980, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 229 Gaias were born — ranking #1,072 that year. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 52% of all recorded Gaias. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,072 among baby girl names with 229 births, rising sharply (+56% over the past five years). In total, more than 3K Gaias have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

## Popularity Over Time

## Popularity by State

ME

WA

MT

ND

MN

WI

MI

NY

VT

NH

MA

OR

ID

SD

IA

IL

IN

OH

PA

NJ

CT

RI

CA

NV

WY

NE

MO

KY

WV

VA

MD

DE

DC

UT

CO

KS

AR

TN

NC

SC

AK

AZ

NM

OK

LA

MS

AL

GA

HI

TX

FL

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

🎶

## Names that sound like Gaia

Phonetically similar names — useful when Gaia is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. 

* Gaja
* Goa
* Goya
* [Gaea](/gaea)
* [Gaya](/gaya)
* [Ghia](/ghia)
* Ghio
* Ngaio
* [Kaia](/kaia)
* [Kiah](/kiah)
* [Caia](/caia)
* Cuya

Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. 

❓

## Frequently Asked Questions about Gaia

What does the name Gaia mean?

In Greek mythology, Gaia, also spelled Gaea, is the personification of Earth. She is the mother of Uranus (Sky), with whom she conceived the Titans, the Cyclopes, and the Giants, as well as of Pontus (Sea), from whose union she bore the primordial sea gods. Her equivalent in the Roman pantheon was Terra.

How popular is Gaia in 2026?

In 2026, Gaia ranks #1,072 among girls' names in the U.S., with 229 babies given the name that year.

When was Gaia most popular?

Gaia reached its peak popularity in 2026, ranking #1,072 that year with 229 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Gaia most popular?

Gaia has historically been most popular in Puerto Rico, Nevada, Connecticut. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Gaia.

Is Gaia a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Gaia is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Gaia?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Gaia include Olevia, Mertie, Ernest. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

## Similar Names

[👧OleviaPeak #1072](/olevia)[👧MertiePeak #1073](/mertie)[👧ErnestPeak #1071](/ernest)[👧EliciaPeak #1071](/elicia)[👧JackelynPeak #1073](/jackelyn)[👧YaretzyPeak #1073](/yaretzy)[👧DrusillaPeak #1074](/drusilla)[👧AlonaPeak #1070](/alona)

## About the name Gaia 

Gaia is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1980 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Gaia's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #1,072\. Use the chart and map above to compare Gaia's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

### Continue exploring 

* [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026)
* [ Names of the 2020s → ](/decade/2020s)
* [ Names starting with "G" → ](/letter/g)
* [ Browse all girl names → ](/names/girls)
* [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026)

Data sources

* Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
* Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — [Behind the Name ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms).
* Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).
* Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/).
* Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/).

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.