Total births
255
Unisex name · since 1947
Gal
255 babies named Gal in U.S. Social Security records since 1947, with the highest year being 2022. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #11256
- among girls today
- 255
- born since 1947
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 37%
- more common than other girls
255 babies have been named Gal since 1947, making it today's #11256 unisex name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gal has been recorded 255 times among girls since 1947, currently ranked #11256 nationally and more common than 37% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 2020s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1947 to 2025.
- #11256 among girls today
- 255 born since 1947
- 2020s peak decade
- 37% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Gal is currently the #11256 unisex name in America, more common than 37% of girls - 255 born since 1947, peaking in the 2020s.
- #11256
- among girls today
- 255
- born since 1947
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 37%
- more common than other girls
Gal vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#11256
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 37% of names given to girls today.
2020s
Peak decade
29% of everyone ever named Gal was born in this single decade.
2022
Single peak year
16 babies were named Gal in 2022 - its busiest year on record.
How Gal compares
255 42th percentile among 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Gal's all-time total is 33% below the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Gal | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 255 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 16 | 48 | 19,840 |
Gal's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Gal splits its recorded history at 1996: 60% of all births land in the more recent half, 40% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1947 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2022 peak of 16 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Gal at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2022
Current rank
#11,256
Active since
1947
Gal popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1947–2025
- Peak year (2022)
- 16
- Annual births at peak, across 79 years of records
Gal popularity over time - boys
148 total births recorded since 1984 (Gal as boys' name)
Gal by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Gal's strongest decade.
73 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Gal births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 10
1940s
10 births
- 1950s
1950s
34 births
- 1960s 5
1960s
5 births
- 1980s 22
1980s
22 births
- 1990s
1990s
43 births
- 2000s
2000s
34 births
- 2010s
2010s
34 births
- 2020s
2020s
73 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 73 births (29% of all-time use).
Gal by state
Where Gal concentrates geographically, total births since 1947
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 10 | 3.9% |
| #2 | California | | 5 | 2.0% |
New York share of Gal's total US births 3.9%
Even split
10 of 255 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Gal? ▼
255 babies have been named Gal since 1947. It currently ranks #11256 among girls. The peak year was 2022 with 16 births.
When was Gal most popular? ▼
Gal was most popular in the 2020s decade with 73 total births. The single peak year was 2022.
Where is Gal most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Gal are New York (10 births), California (5 births).
Is Gal a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Gal is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 255 births, and as a boy's name it has 148 births.
How long has the name Gal been used? ▼
Records for Gal go back to 1947, giving 79 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Gal? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Gale, Galilea, Gala, Galilee, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Gal's data
- New York records the most Gals (10 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Gal
Nearby Names Like Gal
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gal
Gale Girl
19,906 births
Galilea Girl
#642 9,309 births
Gala Girl
#2271 2,186 births
Galilee Girl
#3040 648 births
Galia Girl
#3713 594 births
Compare Gal side by side: Gal vs Gale Gal vs Galilea Gal vs Gala
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Gal
Elynn #11255
365 births · Peak 2010
Windy #11257
4,971 births · Peak 1975
Nilsa #11254
1,809 births · Peak 1960
Angelynn #11258
674 births · Peak 2013
Janny #11253
557 births · Peak 1987
Cally #11259
1,773 births · Peak 1990
Jaimie #11252
9,549 births · Peak 1987
Saralynn #11260
441 births · Peak 2014
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1947–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Gal: #11256 Unisex Name - 255 Births, Peak 2022." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/gal. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Gal draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.