Gay

βš₯
gey'gay'1 syllable
πŸ‡¬πŸ‡§English
Joyful

MEANING

JoyfulLighthearted

ORIGIN

Old French

ETYMOLOGY

Derived from the Old French 'gai', meaning 'happy' or 'cheerful'

CULTURAL NOTES

In English-speaking cultures, the name was traditionally used as a given name with the meaning of happiness.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Historically used as a given name and surname; in the 20th century, it gained association with the LGBTQ+ community.

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FAQs About Gay

The name Gay means "joyful, lighthearted" in English.
Gay has Old French origins. Derived from the Old French 'gai', meaning 'happy' or 'cheerful'
Gay is pronounced gey (gay). It has 1 syllable.
On Naymt, every name is color-coded by gender: green indicates a "masculine" name (one that has only ever appeared in the boys' top 1000 since 1880), purple indicates a "feminine" name (only in the girls' top 1000), and yellow indicates a "neutral" name (one that has appeared in the top 1000 for both genders at some point in history).
Popular nicknames for Gay include Gaye, G.
Sibling name ideas that pair well with Gay include Joy, Merry, Sunny, Bliss.
The most common spelling is Gay. Alternative spellings include Gaye, Gaie.