Unisex name · since 1893
Gale
Since 1893, U.S. Social Security records show 19,906 babies named Gale, peaking in 1957. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #1,074 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 19,906
- born since 1893
- 1950s
- peak decade
19,906 girls have been named Gale since 1893, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Gale recorded 19,906 times among girls since 1893, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1950s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1893 to 2023.
- #1,074 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 19,906 born since 1893
- 1950s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gale ranks #1,074 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 19,906 born since 1893, peaking in the 1950s.
- #1,074 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 19,906
- born since 1893
- 1950s
- peak decade
Gale's 19,906 recorded births place it above 98.51% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
47 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by New York.
Gale's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Gale's SSA record in two at 1954 and the more recent half accounts for 51% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 49%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1893, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1957 peak of 1,210, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Gale popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1893–2023
- Peak year (1957)
- 1,210
- Annual births at peak, across 131 years of records
Gale popularity over time - boys
12,437 total births recorded since 1883 (Gale as boys' name)
Gale by decade
1950s is the heaviest window (9,479 births, 48% of the file).
1950s was Gale's strongest decade.
9,479 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 48% of all-time use.
Gale births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1890s 16
1890s
16 births
- 1900s 34
1900s
34 births
- 1910s 168
1910s
168 births
- 1920s 331
1920s
331 births
- 1930s 1,040
1930s
1,040 births
- 1940s
1940s
4,900 births
- 1950s
1950s
9,479 births
- 1960s 2,997
1960s
2,997 births
- 1970s 650
1970s
650 births
- 1980s 191
1980s
191 births
- 1990s 58
1990s
58 births
- 2000s 13
2000s
13 births
- 2010s 24
2010s
24 births
- 2020s 5
2020s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 9,479 births (48% of all-time use).
How Gale compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Gale's total volume
Gale by state
Where Gale concentrates geographically, total births since 1893
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 2,150 | 10.8% |
| #2 | California | | 1,517 | 7.6% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 1,337 | 6.7% |
| #4 | Illinois | | 1,240 | 6.2% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 960 | 4.8% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 941 | 4.7% |
| #7 | New Jersey | | 826 | 4.1% |
| #8 | Massachusetts | | 699 | 3.5% |
2,150 of 19,906 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 47 reporting states.
Gale appears in 47 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
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When was Gale most popular? ▼
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What to do with Gale's data
- Gale's decade-level peak was the 1950s (9,479 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Gales (2,150 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Gale
Nearby Names Like Gale
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gale
Compare Gale side by side: Gale vs Galilea Gale vs Gala Gale vs Galilee
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Gale: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1957)
Similar record span (~130 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1893–2023 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Gale 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 August 2026.