Gayle

Hebrew

"my father is joyful"

Gayle Origin and Meaning

The name Gayle is a girl's name.

Gayle is a feminine name with multiple origins. It can be derived from the Hebrew name Abigail, meaning 'father's joy,' or it may be a variant of Gail, which began as a short form of names beginning with the Germanic element 'gal' meaning 'happy' or 'cheerful.' The name may also relate to the English word 'gale,' referring to a strong wind. Gayle enjoyed particular popularity in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s but has declined since then. The name has a clean, straightforward quality with a subtly nature-inspired undertone. Its brief, single-syllable structure gives it a certain crisp efficiency, while the spelling with 'y' adds a touch of distinction to this classic mid-century favorite.

Gayle Rank in US Top 1000

# 987 in the US

Famous People Named Gayle

• Gayle King American TV host, broadcast journalist, magazine editor, and Oprah BFF
• Gayle Hunnicutt American actress
• Gayle Forman American novelist
• Gayle Blakeney Australian actress
• Gayle Broughton New Zealand rugby player
• Gayle S. Rubin American cultural anthropologist
• Abigail "Gayle" Zsiga English electronic music artist

The name Gayle in Pop Culture

• Gayle character from TV's "Bob's Burgers," voiced by Megan Mullally
• Gayle Waters Waters, character from Chris Flemming's 40 episode YouTube comedy series, "Gayle"