Gayola
Gayola was a type of bribe used by American police departments against gay bars in the post-war era. Liquor laws prevented bars from knowingly selling alcoholic beverages to gay patrons, so police departments commonly demanded payoffs from gay bar owners as a way to prevent shutdowns and raids.
Meaning & Origin of Gayola
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Gayola was a type of bribe used by American police departments against gay bars in the post-war era. Liquor laws prevented bars from knowingly selling alcoholic beverages to gay patrons, so police departments commonly demanded payoffs from gay bar owners as a way to prevent shutdowns and raids.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Gayola
Gayola first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1917, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1917, when 5 Gayolas were born — ranking #4,594 that year. As of 2026, Gayola ranks #4,594 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 5 Gayolas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Gayola
Phonetically similar names — useful when Gayola 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 Gayola
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About the name Gayola
Gayola is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1917 and has accumulated 5 births in the dataset. Gayola's peak popularity came in 1917 when it ranked #4,594. Use the chart and map above to compare Gayola's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1917 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "G" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.