Gay
A girls’ name of Old French origin, meaning cheerful, lighthearted, bright.
Babies a year
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no recent records
Rarity
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among names in use
US popularity
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outside the top 1000
UK popularity
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outside the ONS list
Gay by the numbers
Its American peak was 682 babies in 1959, making it a 1950s name.
Names that come from Gay
Forms of Gay in other languages, names built from it, and names that mean a son or daughter of it. Not always the same sex.
Spelled almost the same
Other names in the records within a letter or two of Gay. Close spellings are not always related names, but they are usually worth seeing together.
Other names that mean joy
Like Gay, each of these has joy in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.
- Abigailmy father's joy10,557 in the US (2017)
- Asherhappy, blessed6,076 in the US (2017)
- Edendelight, paradise594 in England and Wales (2025)
- Jocelyncheerful or joyful; from Jocundus1,828 in the US (2017)
- Tatumcheerful or bringer of joy1,159 in the US (2017)
- Joyjoy; gladness and pleasure971 in the US (2017)
Other names that mean light
Like Gay, each of these has light in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.