Girls' name · since 1909
Gaye
Since 1909, U.S. Social Security records show 5,746 babies named Gaye, peaking in 1960. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2,343 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 5,746
- born since 1909
- 1950s
- peak decade
Gaye sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 5,746 recorded since 1909.
Social Security Administration records show Gaye recorded 5,746 times among girls since 1909, 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 1909 to 1976.
- #2,343 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 5,746 born since 1909
- 1950s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gaye ranks #2,343 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 5,746 born since 1909, peaking in the 1950s.
- #2,343 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 5,746
- born since 1909
- 1950s
- peak decade
Gaye's 5,746 recorded births place it above 96.75% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
37 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Texas.
Gaye's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Gaye's SSA record in two at 1943 and the more recent half accounts for 82% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 18%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1909, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1960 peak of 268, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Gaye popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1909–1976
- Peak year (1960)
- 268
- Annual births at peak, across 68 years of records
Gaye by decade
1950s is the heaviest window (2,043 births, 36% of the file).
1950s was Gaye's strongest decade.
2,043 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 36% of all-time use.
Gaye births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1900s 5
1900s
5 births
- 1910s 69
1910s
69 births
- 1920s 106
1920s
106 births
- 1930s 599
1930s
599 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,333 births
- 1950s
1950s
2,043 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,449 births
- 1970s 142
1970s
142 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 2,043 births (36% of all-time use).
How Gaye 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 Gaye's total volume
Gaye by state
Where Gaye concentrates geographically, total births since 1909
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 534 | 9.3% |
| #2 | California | | 427 | 7.4% |
| #3 | New York | | 256 | 4.5% |
| #4 | Michigan | | 252 | 4.4% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 238 | 4.1% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 228 | 4.0% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 215 | 3.7% |
| #8 | Missouri | | 129 | 2.2% |
534 of 5,746 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 37 reporting states.
Gaye appears in 37 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Gaye's data
- Gaye's decade-level peak was the 1950s (2,043 total births); usage has since declined to 142 in the 1970s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Gayes (534 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Gaye
Nearby Names Like Gaye
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gaye
Compare Gaye side by side: Gaye vs Gayle Gaye vs Gay Gaye vs Gayla
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Gaye: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1960)
Similar record span (~67 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, 1909–1976 (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 Gaye 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.