A 1900s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Gable since 1909
Babies named Gable per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2009, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Gable's real moment was 1909.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 5 |
| 1910s | 23 |
| 1920s | 45 |
| 1930s | 30 |
| 1940s | 25 |
| 1950s | 47 |
| 1960s | 37 |
| 1970s | 52 |
| 1980s | 49 |
| 1990s | 121 |
| 2000s | 146 |
| 2010s | 139 |
| 2020s | 85 |
Meaning & origin
Gable is a rare but steadily reviving masculine name with roots in English surnames and architecture. First recorded in U.S. data in 1909, it ranked at position 5,208 in 2025, with only 1 in 94,893 boys receiving the name that year. After a long period of obscurity, it has been on an upward trajectory since 1986, signaling a modern appreciation for vintage, surname-style choices. Its rarity and lack of top-state concentration make it a distinctive option, appealing to parents drawn to understated, one-syllable names with a hint of midcentury Hollywood glamour through the association with actor Clark Gable.
Gable originated as an English surname, derived from either a place name containing the Old English element 'gafol' meaning 'fork' or 'triangular piece of land,' or directly from the architectural term 'gable' (from Old French 'gable' and ultimately Old Norse 'gafl'). As a given name, it was first recorded in the United States in 1909 but saw little use until a revival beginning in the 1980s, possibly influenced by the surname of actor Clark Gable.
Sibling names for Gable
Names that share Gable's style, for a brother or sister.
