Gayle (given name)

Gayle
GenderUnisex
Language(s)Hebrew
Anglo-Saxon
Origin
MeaningHappy God; Father in rejoicing; a father's joy
Other names
Variant form(s)Gail
Gale[1]
DerivedAbigail

Gayle (/ˈɡeɪl/ GAYL) is a variant spelling of Gail, a short form of the name Abigail.[1]

Abigail is a feminine English name with Hebrew origins, meaning "my father is joy." In the Old Testament Abigail was King David's third wife, described as 'good in discretion and beautiful in form'.[2] The name is used in modern English and was a popular baby's name during the 1950s and 1960s.[1]

Gayle may occasionally be used as a masculine name.

  1. ^ a b c A Dictionary of First Names, Patrick Hanks & Flavia Hodges, Oxford University Press, 1990, ISBN 0-19-211651-7.
  2. ^ King James Bible.