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Gaye
How to Pronounce Gaye
Pronounced GAY /ΛΙ‘eΙͺ/High
Meaning: Gaye is a decorative spelling of Gay, the vintage girl's name taken straight from the English word meaning 'merry, cheerful, lighthearted,' which came through Old French gai. The added -e softens the look of the once-fashionable virtue-style name.Medium
Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880βpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Gaye is a spelling of Gay, a name lifted from the word 'gay' in its old sense of 'merry, carefree,' by way of Old French gai. Fashionable in the first half of the twentieth century, it appears in the records from around 1909 and crested in 1960.
Gaye receded through the seventies as the word took on new meaning, so it reads today as a distinctly mid-century name worn by women now in their sixties and older. It is not part of the current vintage revival.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Gaye mean?
Gaye is a spelling of Gay, from the word meaning 'merry, cheerful, lighthearted.'
How do you pronounce Gaye?
It's said GAY /ΛΙ‘eΙͺ/ β one syllable.
Is Gaye a boy or girl name?
Gaye is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Gaye?
Gaye was a mid-century favorite that faded by the seventies and has not returned.