Gale
Gale is a given name. It has seen masculine and feminine use consecutively in the United States. Gale as a man's name is from an English surname, ultimately from Middle English gaile "jovial". As a woman's name, it is often a short form of the name Abigail. It can also be used as a form of the name Galen, a name derived from that of the ancient Greek physician, meaning "tranquil."
Meaning & Origin of Gale
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Gale is a given name. It has seen masculine and feminine use consecutively in the United States. Gale as a man's name is from an English surname, ultimately from Middle English gaile "jovial". As a woman's name, it is often a short form of the name Abigail. It can also be used as a form of the name Galen, a name derived from that of the ancient Greek physician, meaning "tranquil."
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Gale
As a girl name
Gale first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1893, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1957, when 1,210 Gales were born — ranking #245 that year. As of 2026, Gale ranks #15,178 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 20K Gales have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Gale first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1883, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1947, when 377 Gales were born — ranking #352 that year. As of 2026, Gale ranks #6,443 for boys with 13 births, rising sharply (+19% over the past five years). In total, more than 12K Gales have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Gale
Phonetically similar names — useful when Gale is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Gale
What does the name Gale mean?
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About the name Gale
Gale is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1893 and has accumulated 20K births in the dataset. Gale's peak popularity came in 1957 when it ranked #245. Use the chart and map above to compare Gale's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1957 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "G" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . 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 (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
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.