Gay Name Popularity and Statistics
Gay is predominantly used for girls. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
Meaning, origin, and pronunciation details are shown only after they have been independently reviewed.
How Do You Spell Gay?
Gay is spelled G-A-Y. The name has 3 letters.
Gay Popularity in 1982
Rank#9,237
Recorded Births6
- Girls usage fell 3,048 places to #9,237 and recorded 4 fewer births compared with 1979.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
Gay Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 1965 through 1982. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Girls | 6 | #9,237 |
| 1979 | Girls | 10 | #6,189 |
| 1978 | Girls | 8 | #6,948 |
| 1977 | Girls | 13 | #4,942 |
| 1976 | Girls | 16 | #3,963 |
| 1975 | Girls | 30 | #2,565 |
| 1974 | Girls | 30 | #2,497 |
| 1974 | Boys | 6 | #4,634 |
| 1973 | Girls | 22 | #3,015 |
| 1972 | Girls | 59 | #1,565 |
| 1972 | Boys | 6 | #4,441 |
| 1971 | Girls | 78 | #1,364 |
| 1971 | Boys | 5 | #4,907 |
| 1970 | Girls | 122 | #1,017 |
| 1970 | Boys | 7 | #3,836 |
| 1969 | Girls | 127 | #943 |
| 1969 | Boys | 6 | #3,935 |
| 1968 | Girls | 169 | #767 |
| 1968 | Boys | 6 | #3,673 |
| 1967 | Girls | 178 | #735 |
| 1967 | Boys | 5 | #3,966 |
| 1966 | Girls | 235 | #620 |
| 1966 | Boys | 9 | #2,784 |
| 1965 | Girls | 302 | #548 |
When Was Gay Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
1959 · Girls
682 recorded births
National rank #362
1952 · Girls
643 recorded births
National rank #318
1954 · Girls
632 recorded births
National rank #338
1960 · Girls
626 recorded births
National rank #381
Where Gay Ranked Highest in 1975
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Girls
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| TX | #1,206 | 7 |