Gay
A unisex given name from English.
Every Gay since 1883 — 19,367 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Gay
Gay is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1883, 19,367 American babies have been named Gay — about 93% girls and 7% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1959, when 692 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Gay stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Gay 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 | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | 30 | #2,577 | — | — |
| 1970 | 122 | #1,019 | 7 | #3,989 |
| 1965 | 302 | #548 | 7 | #3,353 |
| 1960 | 626 | #381 | 11 | #2,589 |
| 1955 | 496 | #395 | 14 | #2,170 |
| 1950 | 481 | #359 | 24 | #1,511 |
| 1945 | 395 | #345 | 31 | #1,190 |
| 1940 | 308 | #378 | 19 | #1,592 |
| 1935 | 266 | #394 | 32 | #1,177 |
| 1930 | 155 | #548 | 35 | #1,201 |
| 1925 | 82 | #822 | 30 | #1,341 |
| 1920 | 57 | #971 | 27 | #1,437 |
| 1915 | 59 | #852 | 22 | #1,476 |
| 1910 | 26 | #849 | 9 | #1,146 |
| 1905 | 15 | #982 | — | — |
| 1900 | 18 | #894 | — | — |
| 1895 | 10 | #1,082 | — | — |
| 1890 | 16 | #677 | 8 | #773 |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Gay
- Gay Talese Writer · b. 1932
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Gay mean?
A unisex given name from English.
How popular is the name Gay in 2025?
Gay did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Gay?
19,367 babies have been named Gay in the United States since 1883, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Gay most popular?
Gay peaked in 1959, when 692 newborns received the name.
Is Gay a boy or girl name?
Gay is used for both: about 93% of babies named Gay have been girls and 7% boys.
Is the name Gay rising or falling?
Gay has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Gay?
Well-known people named Gay include Gay Talese (writer).