Declining since 2016, #8,243 for boys today.
Popularity of Gad since 1987
Babies named Gad per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1980s | 6 |
| 1990s | 5 |
| 2000s | 23 |
| 2010s | 63 |
| 2020s | 34 |
Meaning & origin
Gad is a biblical name that has seen limited but steady use in the United States, with first recorded usage in 1987. In 2025, the name ranked 8,243rd, a position that places it among rarer choices, with roughly 1 in 189,786 boys receiving the name. Its peak in popularity came in 2016, but since then the name has been in decline. Gad remains almost exclusively a boy's name, reflecting its Old Testament origin as the son of Jacob. Despite its low rank, the name resonates for families seeking a concise, historically rooted name from the Hebrew scriptures.
Gad is a biblical name from the Hebrew root גדד (gadad), meaning 'to cut' or 'to invade,' but the name itself is traditionally interpreted as 'fortune' or 'luck,' based on the blessing in Genesis 30:11. In the Old Testament, Gad is the firstborn son of Jacob and Zilpah, and the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The name was historically used among Jewish communities, particularly in the form of the surname Gad, but became rare as a first name. Its modern use is often tied to biblical revival or contemporary parents seeking short, strong names.
“Gad” around the world
Where Gad lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
15
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Sibling names for Gad
Names that share Gad's style, for a brother or sister.
