Girls' name · since 1886
Gaynell
Gaynell has 4,251 recorded births since 1886 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1952 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2,866 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 4,251
- born since 1886
- 1950s
- peak decade
4,251 girls have been named Gaynell since 1886, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gaynell has been recorded 4,251 times among girls since 1886, 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 1886 to 1991.
- #2,866 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 4,251 born since 1886
- 1950s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Gaynell ranks #2,866 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 4,251 born since 1886, peaking in the 1950s.
- #2,866 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 4,251
- born since 1886
- 1950s
- peak decade
Gaynell's 4,251 recorded births place it above 96.03% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
17 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Louisiana.
Gaynell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Gaynell's full recorded timeline at 1939, 59% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 41% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1886, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1952 peak of 117 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Gaynell popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1886–1991
- Peak year (1952)
- 117
- Annual births at peak, across 106 years of records
Gaynell popularity over time - boys
18 total births recorded since 1937 (Gaynell as boys' name)
Gaynell by decade
1950s is the heaviest window (896 births, 21% of the file).
1950s was Gaynell's strongest decade.
896 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Gaynell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 10
1880s
10 births
- 1890s 61
1890s
61 births
- 1900s 105
1900s
105 births
- 1910s
1910s
369 births
- 1920s
1920s
511 births
- 1930s
1930s
754 births
- 1940s
1940s
886 births
- 1950s
1950s
896 births
- 1960s
1960s
452 births
- 1970s 162
1970s
162 births
- 1980s 34
1980s
34 births
- 1990s 11
1990s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 896 births (21% of all-time use).
How Gaynell 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 Gaynell's total volume
Gaynell by state
Where Gaynell concentrates geographically, total births since 1886
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Louisiana | | 652 | 15.3% |
| #2 | Alabama | | 337 | 7.9% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 287 | 6.8% |
| #4 | Virginia | | 241 | 5.7% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 192 | 4.5% |
| #6 | Texas | | 151 | 3.6% |
| #7 | Kentucky | | 59 | 1.4% |
| #8 | West Virginia | | 55 | 1.3% |
652 of 4,251 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 17 reporting states.
Gaynell appears in 17 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Gaynell? ▼
Where does Gaynell sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Gaynell most popular? ▼
Where is Gaynell most popular? ▼
How long has the name Gaynell been used? ▼
What names are similar to Gaynell? ▼
What to do with Gaynell's data
- Gaynell's decade-level peak was the 1950s (896 total births); usage has since declined to 11 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Louisiana records the most Gaynells (652 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Louisiana names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Gaynell
Nearby Names Like Gaynell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gaynell
Compare Gaynell side by side: Gaynell vs Gayle Gaynell vs Gay Gaynell 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 Gaynell: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1952)
Similar record span (~105 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, 1886–1991 (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 Gaynell 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.