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Gael

ga-EL (Spanish); GAYL (English)
Breton
"Gaelic"
Madison Dresler
By Madison Dresler
Updated Tue Sep 30 2025

Gael Origin and Meaning

The name Gael is a boy's name of Welsh, Breton origin meaning "Gaelic".

This cross-cultural name, found in Wales, Brittany, and Spain, is a surprise star in the U.S in recent years, largely thanks to actor Gael Garcia Bernal. Also written as Gaël, it's a popular choice across Spain, Mexico, Chile, Uruguay, and France, and the US.

Given to 3885 boys in the US in a recent year, when it ranked in the Top 100, it's a separate name from Gale (word name) and Gail (diminutive of Abigail), however, it may sometimes be used as an alternative spelling for the latter.

Despite the difference in spelling, the character Gale Hawthorne in the popular book and film series The Hunger Games may also have helped make this a stylish choice for American boys. It surged up the charts following the 2012 release of the first movie instalment, climbing from #410 to #146 in the ranks.

# 89 in the US

Gael Rank in US Top 1000

# 762 on Nameberry

Gael Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Popularity of the name Gael

20 Names Similar to Gael

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Gael.

Famous People Named Gael

  • Gael Garcia Bernal
    Mexican film actor, director
  • Gaël Yanno (b. 1961)
    French politician representing New Caledonia
  • Gaël Monthurel (b. 1966)
    French handball player
  • Gaël Morel (b. 1972)
    French film director
  • Gaël Touya (b. 1973)
    French fencer
  • Gaël Leforestier (b. 1975)
    French television host
  • Gaël Tallec (b. 1976)
    French rugby player
  • Gaël Pencreach (b. 1977)
    French runner
  • Gaël Danic (b. 1981)
    French footballer
  • Gaël Givet (b. 1981)
    French footballer
  • Gaël Angoula (b. 1982)
    French footballer
  • Gaël Germany (b. 1983)
    French footballer
  • Gaël da Silva (b. 1984)
    French gymnast
  • Gaël Clichy (b. 1985)
    French footballer
  • Gaël Monfils (b. 1986)
    French tennis player
  • Gaël Quérin (b. 1987)
    French decathlete
  • Gaël N’Lundulu (b. 1992)
    French footballer
  • Gaël Etock (b. 1993)
    Belgian footballer
  • Gaël Fickou (b. 1994)
    French rugby player
  • Gael Margulies (b. 1994)
    Israeli footballer

The name Gael in Pop Culture

  • Gael
    character played by guest start Enrique Iglesias on How I Met Your Mother

The name Gael in Nameberry Blog Posts