Gaye
A female given name from English.
Every Gaye since 1909 — 5,746 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Gaye
Gaye 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 1909, 5,746 American babies have been named Gaye. Its peak came in 1960, when 268 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
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 Gaye stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Gaye year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls 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 | 8 | #6,703 |
| 1970 | 47 | #1,863 |
| 1965 | 128 | #886 |
| 1960 | 268 | #612 |
| 1955 | 196 | #668 |
| 1950 | 156 | #687 |
| 1945 | 128 | #646 |
| 1940 | 89 | #735 |
| 1935 | 82 | #744 |
| 1930 | 18 | #1,970 |
| 1925 | 9 | #3,487 |
| 1920 | 9 | #3,435 |
| 1915 | 7 | #3,572 |
| 1910 | 6 | #2,242 |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Gaye mean?
A female given name from English.
How popular is the name Gaye in 2025?
Gaye 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 Gaye?
5,746 babies have been named Gaye in the United States since 1909, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Gaye most popular?
Gaye peaked in 1960, when 268 newborns received the name.
Is Gaye a boy or girl name?
Gaye is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Gaye rising or falling?
Gaye has been roughly stable over the past decade.