Gael
Borrowed from Irish Gael, alt.
Every Gael since 1919 — 49,752 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Gael
Gael is a top-100 name for boys in the United States, ranked #86 in 2025 with 3,860 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1919, 49,752 American babies have been named Gael. Its peak came in 2024, when 3,879 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Gael stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Gael year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | #13,778 | 3,860 | #86 |
| 2024 | 7 | #12,613 | 3,872 | #89 |
| 2023 | 11 | #9,196 | 3,629 | #100 |
| 2022 | 13 | #8,204 | 3,509 | #104 |
| 2021 | 9 | #10,566 | 3,513 | #109 |
| 2020 | 9 | #10,547 | 3,262 | #112 |
| 2019 | 8 | #11,721 | 2,900 | #133 |
| 2018 | 7 | #12,924 | 2,931 | #132 |
| 2017 | 6 | #14,727 | 2,239 | #178 |
| 2016 | 8 | #12,146 | 2,248 | #178 |
| 2015 | 7 | #13,480 | 1,783 | #220 |
| 2014 | 6 | #15,238 | 1,809 | #213 |
| 2013 | 14 | #8,284 | 2,307 | #177 |
| 2012 | 9 | #11,591 | 2,745 | #146 |
| 2011 | 5 | #17,678 | 690 | #410 |
| 2010 | — | — | 692 | #408 |
| 2009 | — | — | 1,003 | #319 |
| 2008 | 7 | #14,344 | 1,119 | #298 |
| 2007 | 6 | #16,148 | 1,168 | #296 |
| 2006 | 14 | #8,401 | 1,026 | #314 |
| 2005 | 11 | #9,675 | 1,102 | #297 |
| 2004 | 7 | #13,213 | 751 | #370 |
| 2003 | 7 | #12,869 | 443 | #526 |
| 2002 | — | — | 246 | #722 |
| 2001 | — | — | 47 | #2,190 |
| 2000 | — | — | 6 | #9,490 |
| 1995 | — | — | 9 | #6,081 |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | 6 | #7,358 | — | — |
| 1965 | 5 | #6,842 | — | — |
| 1960 | 8 | #4,908 | — | — |
| 1955 | 12 | #3,444 | — | — |
| 1950 | 15 | #2,705 | — | — |
| 1945 | 25 | #1,672 | — | — |
| 1940 | 10 | #2,811 | — | — |
| 1935 | 5 | #4,457 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | 5 | #4,211 |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Gael
- Gael García Bernal Actor · b. 1978
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Gael mean?
Borrowed from Irish Gael, alt.
How popular is the name Gael in 2025?
Gael ranked #86 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 3,860 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Gael?
49,752 babies have been named Gael in the United States since 1919, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Gael most popular?
Gael peaked in 2024, when 3,879 newborns received the name.
Is Gael a boy or girl name?
Gael is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Gael rising or falling?
Gael is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Gael?
Well-known people named Gael include Gael García Bernal (actor).