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How Many People Are Named Gay?
Estimated people named Gay living in the U.S. today
10,432
Gender distribution
4% male · 96% female in SSA records.
Name scorecard
- Total U.S. births recorded (1880–2024): 19,367
- Peak year: 1959 (692 births)
- Estimated living today: 10,432
Gay by age group — who carries the name today?
Gay popularity over time (1880–2024)
Estimated living bearers by birth decade
About the name Gay
Gay has been recorded by the Social Security Administration since the 19th century dataset began. In total, 19,367 babies were given the name in the United States between 1880 and 2024. After adjusting each birth cohort for survival to today, an estimated 10,432 bearers are still living — roughly 1 in 32,765 Americans. The name's strongest decade shapes how old most Gays you meet will be, which the age-group breakdown above shows directly. All figures are statistical estimates from public records; see our methodology for sources, the survival model, and the limits of the data (names given to fewer than five babies in a year are not published by the SSA).
Frequently asked questions
How many people are named Gay in the US?
An estimated 10,432 people named Gay are living in the United States today, based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024 adjusted for survival. That makes Gay rare — about 1 in 32,765 Americans.
Is Gay a boy or girl name?
In SSA records, Gay is 4% male and 96% female, so it is predominantly a female name.
When was Gay most popular?
Gay peaked in 1959, when 692 babies were given the name. Its current trend is steady compared with the previous decade.
How rare is the name Gay?
Gay ranks #2,361 of 104,819 first names recorded by the SSA, with a rarity score of 53 out of 100 (higher means rarer).