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.

4,251
total births
1886–1991
years on record
1950s
peak decade
21%
born in that 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.

  • 4,251 total births
  • 1886–1991 years on record
  • 1950s peak decade
  • 21% born in that decade

Data updated Jul 2026

The verdict

4,251 girls have been named Gaynell since 1886, peaking in the 1950s, last recorded in 1991.

4,251
total births
1886–1991
years on record
1950s
peak decade
21%
born in that decade
1950s
Peak decade

21% of everyone ever named Gaynell was born in this single decade.

1952
Single peak year

117 babies were named Gaynell in 1952 - its busiest year on record.

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 at a glance

Last recorded 1991

Total births

4,251

Since 1886

106 years of records

Peak year

1952

117 births that year

Strongest decade: 1950s

Current rank

Unranked

Outside the modern top-1,000

As of 1991

Active since

1886

Recorded for 106 years

Last year on file: 1991

Gaynell popularity over time - girls

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1886–1991

Last recorded 1991
Peak year (1952)
117
Annual births at peak, across 106 years of records
-50050100150 188619031915192719391951196319751991 5

Gaynell popularity over time - boys

18 total births recorded since 1937 (Gaynell as boys' name)

Unisex variant - 18 births
6789101112 19371938 7

Gaynell by decade

Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance

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

births

What this shows Peak: 1950s at 896 births (21% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of July 2026

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 vs 15 similarly-sized girls names

Gaynell vs 15 similarly-sized girls names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 2%4%6%8%10% 050100150200 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year Gaynell
Gaynell vs 15 similarly-sized girls names

Gaynell by state

Where Gaynell concentrates geographically, total births since 1886

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Gaynell
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%
Louisiana share of Gaynell's total US births 15.3%
Even split

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? ▼
Gaynell has been given to 4,251 babies in the U.S. since 1886, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1991. 117 babies were born in 1952, its single highest year.
When was Gaynell most popular? ▼
Gaynell was most popular in the 1950s decade with 896 total births. The single peak year was 1952.
Where is Gaynell most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Gaynell are Louisiana (652 births), Alabama (337 births), North Carolina (287 births).
How long has the name Gaynell been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Gaynell since 1886 -- 106 years through the most recent 1991 data.
What names are similar to Gaynell? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Gayle, Gay, Gayla, Gaye, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.

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
  • 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 Gaynell

Nearby Names Like Gaynell

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Gaynell

Gayle Girl
#13518 61,357 births
Gay Girl
17,985 births
Gayla Girl
10,838 births
Gaye Girl
5,746 births
Gaylene Girl
2,570 births

Compare Gaynell side by side: Gaynell vs Gayle Gaynell vs Gay Gaynell vs Gayla

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Delphia #15302
4,251 births · Peak 1924
Carrol
4,252 births · Peak 1943
Jacinda #5843
4,252 births · Peak 1996
Nyomi #816
4,254 births · Peak 2023
Misha #2255
4,255 births · Peak 1991
Kenyatta #13750
4,255 births · Peak 1975
Taniyah #3108
4,247 births · Peak 2003
Gisela #4311
4,246 births · Peak 1995

Data Sources

Data as of July 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).

Cite this page

NameAlmanac Editorial. "Gaynell: Baby Name Since 1886 - 4,251 Births, Peak 1952." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/gaynell. 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 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 July 2026.