Gale
Gale is a boy's name of English origin.
Meaning
Cheerfulness, jovial, or strong wind.
Origin and history
Gale is a name of English origin derived either from the vocabulary word referring to a strong wind or from an Old English surname associated with cheerfulness. Historically used for both boys and girls in the United States, its popularity peaked in the mid-20th century and it is now relatively rare.
Popularity in the United States
12,437 babies in the United States have been named Gale since 1880. It ranks #1061 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1873.
States where it is most popular
- OH (10.3 %)
- IL (9.9 %)
- MI (9.8 %)
- IA (6.4 %)
- MO (5.9 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 16 |
| 1890-1900 | 53 |
| 1900-1910 | 115 |
| 1910-1920 | 865 |
| 1920-1930 | 2,008 |
| 1930-1940 | 2,428 |
| 1940-1950 | 3,109 |
| 1950-1960 | 2,295 |
| 1960-1970 | 837 |
| 1970-1980 | 361 |
| 1980-1990 | 134 |
| 1990-2000 | 61 |
| 2000-2010 | 37 |
| 2010-2019 | 64 |
| 2020-2029 | 54 |
Famous people named Gale
- Gale Sayers: Athlete, Football Player
- Gale Gordon: Actor
- Gale Harold: Actor
Fun facts
- Gale stems either from an Old English root meaning cheerful or from the Middle English vocabulary word for a strong wind.
- The name reached its highest usage in the United States during the 1940s and 1950s for both males and females.