Girls' name · since 1921
Gayla
Gayla has 10,838 recorded births since 1921 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1954 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1,582 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 10,838
- born since 1921
- 1950s
- peak decade
10,838 girls have been named Gayla since 1921, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gayla has been recorded 10,838 times among girls since 1921, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1950s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1921 to 2014.
- #1,582 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 10,838 born since 1921
- 1950s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gayla ranks #1,582 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 10,838 born since 1921, peaking in the 1950s.
- #1,582 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 10,838
- born since 1921
- 1950s
- peak decade
Gayla's 10,838 recorded births place it above 97.81% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
38 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Texas.
Gayla's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Gayla's SSA record in two at 1967 and the more recent half accounts for 24% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 76%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 2005, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1954 peak of 617, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Gayla popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1921–2014
- Peak year (1954)
- 617
- Annual births at peak, across 94 years of records
Gayla popularity over time - boys
6 total births recorded since 1961 (Gayla as boys' name)
Gayla by decade
1950s is the heaviest window (3,917 births, 36% of the file).
1950s was Gayla's strongest decade.
3,917 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 36% of all-time use.
Gayla births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1920s 39
1920s
39 births
- 1930s 320
1930s
320 births
- 1940s 1,352
1940s
1,352 births
- 1950s
1950s
3,917 births
- 1960s
1960s
3,330 births
- 1970s 1,200
1970s
1,200 births
- 1980s 387
1980s
387 births
- 1990s 221
1990s
221 births
- 2000s 66
2000s
66 births
- 2010s 6
2010s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 3,917 births (36% of all-time use).
How Gayla 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 Gayla's total volume
Gayla by state
Where Gayla concentrates geographically, total births since 1921
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 1,665 | 15.4% |
| #2 | Oklahoma | | 1,049 | 9.7% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 609 | 5.6% |
| #4 | Missouri | | 579 | 5.3% |
| #5 | California | | 502 | 4.6% |
| #6 | Kansas | | 394 | 3.6% |
| #7 | Arkansas | | 328 | 3.0% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 265 | 2.4% |
1,665 of 10,838 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 38 reporting states.
Gayla appears in 38 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Gayla? ▼
Where does Gayla sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Gayla most popular? ▼
Where is Gayla most popular? ▼
How long has the name Gayla been used? ▼
What names are similar to Gayla? ▼
What to do with Gayla's data
- Gayla's decade-level peak was the 1950s (3,917 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Gaylas (1,665 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 Gayla
Nearby Names Like Gayla
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gayla
Compare Gayla side by side: Gayla vs Gayle Gayla vs Gay Gayla vs Gaye
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Gayla: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1954)
Similar record span (~93 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, 1921–2014 (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 Gayla 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.