Gayle

♀ Girl

Pronounced GAYL /ˈɡeɪl/High

Meaning: A spelling of Gail, itself a short form of Abigail, from Hebrew Avigayil — 'my father rejoices' or 'my father's joy'. The word gale ('strong wind') is a separate English word and not the source, though the sound overlaps.Medium

In 30 seconds: Gayle is the mid-century short form of Abigail — Hebrew for 'my father rejoices' (said 'GAYL').

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Origin MediumEnglish, Hebrew

MeaningA spelling of Gail, itself a short form of Abigail, from Hebrew Avigayil — 'my father rejoices' or 'my father's joy'. The word gale ('strong wind') is a separate English word and not the source, though the sound overlaps.

U.S. rank (2024)#14005 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1951

Total births (all-time)≈ 61,358

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Gayle is a spelling of Gail, cut down from Abigail — Hebrew Avigayil, 'my father rejoices'. Gail and Gayle rose sharply in mid-twentieth-century America, when short, brisk names for girls were in fashion, and then faded. Today Gayle reads as a warm, retro one-beat name (said 'GAYL').

It appears only rarely in U.S. records now, after a strong mid-century run. Rare today, vintage in feel.

Did you know? Gayle looks like the weather word gale, but its real root is Abigail: Hebrew Avigayil, 'my father rejoices'. It was a mid-century American favorite, and it still sounds crisp and confident (said 'GAYL').

Overall data confidence 55%

References — Gayle — spelling of Gail; short for Abigail, Hebrew 'my father rejoices'

Variations

GailGaleGaila

Nicknames

GayGigi

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Gayle…

Abigail— the full name Gayle comes from

Gail— the standard spelling of the same name

Joyce— a like mid-century one-beat classic

Claire— another crisp single-syllable name

Explore names like Gayle

By themeshort vintage mid-century hebrew-root

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Gayle mean?

Gayle means 'my father rejoices' — it comes from Abigail, Hebrew Avigayil, by way of Gail.

How do you pronounce Gayle?

It's said GAYL /ˈɡeɪl/ — one syllable, rhyming with pale.

Is Gayle related to the word gale?

Only by sound. The name comes from Abigail; the weather word gale is a separate English word.

How popular is Gayle?

Gayle is rare for babies today, though it was a familiar name in mid-century America.