UK girl's name
Gaby
A feminine variant of Gabriel, meaning "God is my strength".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2011. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Gaby is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Gaby popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2011 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4764, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 9 births.
This profile covers 52 England and Wales registrations across 10 recorded years from 1996 to 2011. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 44% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 52 living people in the UK are called Gaby. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2012 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Gaby ranked #4764 for girls in England and Wales in 2011, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1999, when 9 girls were registered as Gaby.
- • About 52 living people in the UK are estimated to have Gaby as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4764
2011
Births in 2011
4
Latest year
Peak year
1999
9 births
Estimated living
52
2026
Meaning
What does Gaby mean?
The name Gaby finds its origins in the German language, deriving from the biblical name Gabriel, which means "God is my strength" in Hebrew. The name Gaby gained popularity as a diminutive form of Gabriel in the late 19th century.
In Germany, the name Gaby was commonly used as a nickname for both males and females named Gabriel or Gabrielle. However, over time, it became more prevalent as a standalone feminine name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gaby can be found in the 1886 German novel "Frau Sorge" by Rudolf Wildenbruch, where a character bears this name.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the name Gaby. One of the most famous was Gaby Deslys (1884-1920), a French actress and dancer who was a prominent figure in the Parisian entertainment scene of the early 20th century.
Another well-known Gaby was Gaby Morlay (1893-1964), a French film actress who appeared in numerous silent and sound films during the 1920s and 1930s.
In the world of sports, Gaby Andersen-Schiess (1945-2021) was a Swiss Alpine skier who won a gold medal in the downhill event at the 1964 Winter Olympics.
Gaby Kennard (1944-2022) was an Australian television presenter and journalist who hosted various programs on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) for over three decades.
Gaby Roslin (born 1964) is a British television presenter and actress, best known for hosting popular shows such as "The Big Breakfast" and "Children in Need."
While these are just a few examples, the name Gaby has been borne by many notable individuals throughout history, reflecting its enduring popularity across various cultures and time periods.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Gaby over time
The chart below shows babies named Gaby registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2011. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Gaby, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2011, compared with 9 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Gaby by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Gaby was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4764 | 4 | 1 |
| 2000s | #3501 | 28 | 6 |
| 1990s | #2358 | 20 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Gaby
- Grace 79,208
- Georgia 48,838
- Gracie 18,387
- Georgina 15,599
- Gabriella 10,902
- Gemma 8,350
- Gabrielle 7,154
- Georgie 4,883
- Gabriela 3,300
- Genevieve 2,393
- Gracie-Mae 1,727
- Greta 1,283
FAQ
Gaby: questions and answers
How popular is the name Gaby in the UK right now?
In 2011, Gaby was ranked #4764 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Gaby most popular?
The peak year on record was 1999, with 9 babies registered as Gaby in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Gaby?
A feminine variant of Gabriel, meaning "God is my strength".
How many people are called Gaby in the UK?
A total of 52 babies have been registered as Gaby across the 10 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.