Gay

I understand that back in the day, this name meant something like cheer or delight. But nowadays you'd probably be better off just naming your kid Happy, Sunny, Lucky, Jolly, or Joy.

The name itself isn't awful, but the association makes it completely unusable today. If you name your child Gay, they will be mocked their whole life, not that it's okay. Just go with Jackson or Olivia or something.

I'm a lesbian myself and I'd be cracking up at this name. Don't give this to your kid. Just pick a name from the top 10.

Ridiculous for a boy and a girl. Why not go for a similar sounding name like Gabriel for a boy or Gabrielle/Gabriella for a girl. Like the suggestion of the comments below.

Use Gabriel or something.

I giggled a bit...

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I'm a lesbian but please don't name your kids this, they will get bullied.

This is my grandma’s middle name and it was almost my middle name too. My mom should've went with it because guess what I am!

I can only accept Gay and all its other variants on an older lady. Naming your daughter this is unfair on the child.

Hehe Gay

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Anyways don't name your kid this bc they'll just get bullied but don't be a homophobe either.

I'm bisexual but this is a great name if you want your child to get bullied in school!

I can see why this is no longer usable. The meaning "Happy" is pretty nice, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone now to prevent teasing.

If you're living in the 21st century, it might not be the best idea to name your kid this. If it didn't mean what it means now, I would actually really like it!

I would use it! It is a cute name!

Means ‘homosexual’ now, and even though I support the LGBTQ+ community, he would be constantly bullied at school. It’s like calling a child ‘Lesbian’ or ‘Transgender’.

Just no, as a nickname it is horrible too.

I stumbled upon this name and I want to state one thing: It's not the modern meaning that matters; instead it's the original meaning. Gay used to mean happy, as is stated on the meaning of the name. I don't get why people started molding Gay to mean homosexual, but all in all I suggest that you use this name. Your kid will get bullied by kids who are jerks but just let them be and let them continue their life.

A lot of foreign names (i.e. Porntip, Nacho) are 'weird,' 'unacceptable,' or worthy of bullying in the modern English-speaking world. That doesn't mean they aren't good, honorable names in their own culture. Gay is the same kind of situation, except it's about time rather than place. It's a beautiful, and literally happy name. Looking at a name and considering its place in modern monolingual society is a disservice to its meaning and history. Gay is a good name. Just not one that can wisely be used *right now.*

As a gay person, even I advise you not to use this name. It's the title of a sexuality now. What if Gay isn't Gay? That wouldn't be good. We also have these homophobic people too and it's awful. Even though I am gay, if this were my name, I'd change it in a heartbeat. Like I said before, it's the title of a sexuality now.

Nothing against LGBTQ+ people but I don't like this name.

Well...don't make fun of Gays, but the name Gay is just honestly...awful.

I have absolutely nothing against the LGBT+ community, but I still wouldn’t use this name.

A child will be seriously bullied with this name.

Yuck! What kind of name is this?

I don't see this as a good name honestly. I think Gaylord or Galird can be used as names, but never Gay by itself.

Uh-oh. This name is GAY? How could this possibly be usable?!

This is just WRONG. This is so STUPID. Your child will have a terrible curse on them FOREVER with this name.

What in the 1274 is that supposed to mean? How will a child become "cursed FOREVER" by the name Gay? Sure the name is awkward today but this name predates the use of the word 'Gay' to describe homosexual people, and so it was fine back then. It wouldn't make for a good name in today's world, but that doesn't make it "WRONG" and "STUPID".

Seeing comments saying that you should love your kid and care about how they'll feel with a name like this getting downvoted is disgusting. If we keep being this aggressive we only give people an impression we are all mean and rude and want to attack basically anyone who isn't queer, yet we want acceptance for us. That won't work if we do this. If your child isn't actually Gay and is named this they'll def not feel very good to say the least and there is no problem to understand why. If you come here to get mad at someone who warns parents about the potential consequences of giving them a name with something weird like this attached to it and use dislike button to attack them then you should get a life.

People, it’s the name that matters, not the meaning used in modern days. :)
Gay is a beautiful name for a girl, I don’t get what’s wrong with it, it used to mean happy!
If you really love your child and you want them to be happy, name them this. I see nothing wrong with naming your child Gay, if they get bullied then you can use it as a nickname and call them “Gail”.

I'm Gay myself. Stumbled upon this on accident and I hate what I see. This comment section is way too political. Even I can understand how and why a straight person could feel disgusted with two people of the same gender being attracted to each other (let alone them being in a situation like that themselves). That doesn't mean that person is bad and wants someone to die or something. Some comments who say that you should love your kid and shouldn't name them this in case they'll feel bad with a name like this are getting downvoted because someone said that what if their kid didn't like gays and didn't want something like that attached to their name. Really? So you shouldn't love your child? You all need to calm down and stop it. This is a name website, not a political website. The same is with Adolf in the comment section. Just stop doing that. I felt like this needed to be said.

Gay is a nice middle name.

As someone named Gay I'm offended that people call it a bad name.

There is nothing wrong with being Gay. The name is not an insult. It's an ever-lovin name for Chrisakes.

It’s prettier than Fay, has a nice meaning.
Never mind what it means now-a-days it is still a nice name but it is unusable still.
It would be nice as a middle name.

I like it. Can also be spelled Gae.

Hello! My last name is Gay. I understand last names are a different story, but please hear me out.

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I was brought into the world with the last name of Gay, which is quite coincidental given that I am a homosexual as well. Throughout the years my father and sister have talked about our last names a couple times and we all have the same experiences. We were all made fun of, most importantly in elementary school. In grade school, everyone is more immature and don't really know what crosses the line. With the modern meaning that it has now, it can easily become a laughing stock for small children who don't know better and middle schoolers who do know better but think they're better than everyone.

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The early years of life are where you can learn the ropes of life, and it makes it a lot harder when everyone laughs at something you can't control. I have gotten used to it since then, mostly because I've found my sexuality, but that won't apply to everyone.

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All I ask is that, regardless of your stance on LGBT rights, please don't name your child this. It may sound supportive or prideful at the moment, but it's still not a fun name to have later in life. Plus, there will always be the people who will hate anything that has to do with the word "Gay." (I mean, just look at these comments.)

Not even the fact that Gay means “happy” can sugarcoat the fact that Gay is just NOT something to name your child. I’m not even against Gay people. But what even is this? This name doesn’t even sound usable.

Holy heck there are so many homophobes in these comments. No people, it is NOT okay to be homophobic, but thanks for writing your support for the oppression and killing of thousands of innocent people. I wouldn’t recommend using this name, not because people are homophobic, but because it is strange to name your kid after a word that is, for the most part, completely recognized as the term for a sexuality, I mean, you probably wouldn’t name your kid “hetero” would you?

Disliking gays obviously doesn't mean you support oppression and killing of them, as the person below claims. As for the name itself, it is just weird to name a kid after a certain, in this case really uncommon sexuality. This name might have been good back in the day but in today's world it is obviously weird.

This would be a terrible name nowadays.

I don't get the hate for Gay, Gay was the name of my class president of 1929. Gay was the friendliest, most honourable, and nicest person you could've ever met, she was murdered at the hands of Gladys, the ##### which was a real disaster. I don't get why Gay is another term for homosexual nowadays, back in my day Gay meant happy, naming your child Gay back then was like naming them Joy. I associate the name Gay with a friendly, sociable woman who can lead a group of people to their goal. I think Gay is a great name, it's even in my personal name list! But I'd never use Gay today as very many immature children will tease little Gay and accuse her of being homosexual. I rate this name a 9/10. Thanks for reading :)

To add to my last comment, Gay is equal to naming your child Joy or some other name that means the same thing. This is the name, not the slang, so it should be clear that Gay isn't equal to naming your kid straight. You wouldn't say naming your child "Chad" is the same as naming them "Somalia" would you?

If tou feel negative towards gays, it's okay and so is if you feel positive about them, because everyone is different and thinks differently. Just remember that if you feel positive towards gays, you shouldn't act like everyone should be and your kid definitely shouldn't be also. You should let your kid decide by themselves whether they think being Gay is normal or not and because of that giving such name as this is totally horrible. What if your kid decides that for them it isn't normal? How would that poor kid feel? This is something to consider, since if you think being Gay is okay doesn't mean your kid will think that, and your kid definitely isn't obliged to feel that way. If your kid will decide they don't like gays, then having a name like this will be painful. Don't use this. Even naming a kid after a certain sexuality is just odd, no matter what you think of the respective sexuality. I read comments on this forum, and I can't believe someone has actually used this name. Just don't. Don't give your kid an unnecessary problem please, love your kid and make sure they feel alright, no matter what their feelings towards certain things are. Long story short, respect your kids' thoughts and feelings and don't give a name that might bring discomfort and sadness. Rant over, hope you enjoyed my outburst of thoughts.

I have nothing against gay people but this is horrible as a name!

Name your kid this, and he / she will be made fun of and most likely get accused of being Gay, something they're most likely not. Also, if you're straight, homosexuality disgusts you and this is your name, then I can't even imagine how horrible that can feel. Please parents, if you love your child (and you should love, it's your child) then please don't use this.

Many straight people feel negative towards gays and find them disturbing. It's completely understandable why they feel that way, but imagine if your child felt that way about gays and you named your child Gay? That would make your child feel very bad and would cause so much pain. Please, don't name your child that. Your child can change the name, of course, but it's really bad and even cruel to make your child go through this. Your child shouldn't be in pain and feel bad because of something like a name. It's just so wrong to give your child a name that will bring pain and discomfort.

I agree with the user below who commented earlier today. If you feel negative towards gays and your name is Gay then it can feel very horrible and bring not just discomfort but real devastation and torment. Don't name a kid this.

Even worse than Gaylord.

The reason the name can't be used isn't because of "immature homophobes" like some people said. It can't be used because even homophobes wouldn't name their kid "Straight". I'm not a homophobe but I wouldn't name my kid after a sexuality.

It's sad that this name can't be used anymore due to immature homophobes.

“Hi I’m Gay!”

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“Are you Gay?”

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“Are you Dorothy?”
“No, I’m Gay.”
“Um, that’s not what I asked, but okay.”

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“Hello everybody! I’m Gay, and I’m straight. What about you?”
Everybody: [stares blankly in confusion]

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[walks into crowd of people]
“So which one of you is Gay?”

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“Her name’s Gay”
“Nah, I’m sure it can’t be that bad.”
“No I mean her name is literally Gay”

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[goes up to parents]
“Mom, Dad, I have something I have to tell you: I am Gay!”
“Yes, we know who you are sweetie, now go and do your homework!”.

It's so bad. Imagine naming your child this and your child maybe becomes a straight person and maybe even against gays. That would be a very bad situation and your child would feel very bad so please think about it before naming your child this.

I have nothing against gay people, but the poor kid is definitely gonna get teased.

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Still better than Gaylord though.

Please, don't name your child this. I once had a friend called Gay and her life was horrible and everyone either bullied her or couldn't understand how this could be her name. She changed her name later in her life. Imagine what your child would go through being named this. Kids are cruel. I'm telling you this from my friend's experience. They will find anything just to laugh at someone and start bullying. Please be kind to your own child and spare them the humiliation.

To expand my previous comment, if anyone wonders, she changed her name to Diana. Also noticed that parts of my previous comment were deleted, and that basically destroyed the point of what I was trying to say. Oh well.

Pleasepleasepleaseplease do not name your kid this! If you like the meaning, name them Joy or something; if you like the sound, name them Gaia (but even that is subject to teasing, honestly).

Back then it was okay, but now? No, but I still like this name.

This is only a pleasant name for those who don’t have souls. There are better names than Gay to choose from. Have you ever considered the name Love for your son? At least as a middle name.

I identify as a lesbian and even I say please, PLEASE do NOT give your baby girl or boy this name. That child will face so much torment it would be unbelievable. Just use Gale or Garry or Kyle or Joy or something. Anything except Gay.

Just use Gale. Save your child the embarrassment. Or use Joy or Joyce as a name. This name just won't work nowadays.

Though it has a nice sound to it, I’m still used to it as a word meaning homosexual. You could name your kid this if you want, but he will be the victim of homophobic teasing, not to be critical. I think it was the new meaning of Gay that set the name off.

This is so wrong. Naming your baby girl this name would cause so much bullying and teasing in the future. "HAHA UR GAYY LOLOLOL XDD!" Do you really want your little girl to be born with her own special 'kick me' sign? This name is a magnet for bullies. I have nothing against the LGBTQ+ community but naming your child "Gay" is going to cause so much damage to her/him in the future. Better be safe than sorry.

I’m actually gay myself, so I don’t find any problem with homosexuality at all even though I’m Catholic but this name is just terrible. While I don’t think gay should be used as an insulting word, most kids and teens do and will just beat the kid up. It’s not going to fare well in the end, especially if you live in more traditional areas of the world so just stay away.

Call me crazy but I love this name! So elegant and pretty sounding.

Oh lord. I'd rather name my kid Gaia. Gay's meaning change ruined it.

Naming a child "Gay" is a bad idea in my opinion. I'm not saying it's a bad name but you know how children and teens are. They are brutal. So, for the sake of your child, please don't name them "Gay."

One reason why nobody should ever have this name is that she could have a very embarrassing time with stuff like phone calls, with people making appointments, like the doctor or dentist, saying 'hello, are you Gay?' Nobody wants that.

I'm just going to say what we're all thinking: "This name is really GAY".

There are heaps of people in this day and age who'd disapprove of this name. Even if I am Gay myself, the name isn't really that pretty. It seems more like a nickname for something like Gayle or Gabby
Nonetheless, this isn't a baby name website, it's more of a list. So while the name is awkward-sounding now, it isn't a name that's popular, so there's no need to scream not to name your child this.
(besides, there's a lot better "old lady/man" names out there..)

My mother's middle name is Gay and her first name is a man's name (it's spelled differently and supposed to be pronounced differently but isn't). I don't mind the name Gay because it's my mother's and I love her so much but in this day and age, it's just mean to set a child up for teasing etc. Life is hard enough. You should be able to, but people are immature and cruel so it just won't work.

Yea, that's my daughter, she's Gay.

This name is perfectly fine, in my opinion. It's short and sweet. Being gay is nothing to be ashamed of and it's not wrong. Of course, there will always be ignorant kids and such, but who cares? They're just lowlife bullies!

I'm Italian and here in Italy we use an equivalent of this name for girls, which is "Gaia" and it has the same meaning (joyful, happy). It's a shame that in English this name can't be used anymore because it became a synonym for "homosexual" and it is often used as an insult.

I love this name a lot! I prefer the spelling Gaye. I would never name my child this only because it got linked to homosexuality. Too bad. This was a great name before people made this a derogatory term.

First of all, gay is not an insult and there's nothing wrong with being gay, but I think this is just too strange to be a name and it will cause a lot of teasing for the child due to the society we live in.

Well, I honestly don't really know how Gay became used as a term for somebody who is homosexual (though I do know lesbian came from Lesbos, the island Sappho lived on, and sapphic came from her name), but I do know that the reason it's used more than homosexual is because the aforementioned word has been kinda tainted by things like "Homosexual Reversion Therapy", which was not only as bad as its name, but also resulted in one confirmed death of a man, and is suspected to have killed many more unconfirmed individuals. So yeah, that's why Gay and lesbian are more commonly used than homosexual. Sorry if that was too political or anything.

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But as a very queer person-a pansexual demigirl, to be precise, I honestly recommend against this word as a name not because of the negative connotations (though those are definitely a factor) with it, but because of the positive ones; since gay has been reclaimed by the queer community, and is now seen as a normal and even empowering word among many people, it's just genuinely something I would say don't use. But I think it could work as a second middle name or something.

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Just to be clear, I don't think Gay is a bad name, just veeeerrrrryyyy heavy on associations. I actually think its cute and sweet in sound, and has a good meaning, but yeah.

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Apologies for that essay lmao.

My name is Amanda Gay and I have always loved it. It's a family name and every first female has it. It makes me feel connected to my family. I wasn't picked on in school and I grew up in the 90's/2000s.

My name is Gaye and I was never teased about it growing up in the 1950s. The saddest part of having this name is that the Enola Gay was the plane that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima. But I have the double whammy that my first name and surname, Bear, mean homosexual, but hairy male homosexual.

I can't see naming a child this turning out well at all, as the poor thing would be mercilessly teased, especially if they turn out to actually be LGBT+. As a lesbian myself, I also probably wouldn't be able to resist saying "me too" if someone introduced themselves as "Hi, I'm Gay."

My last name is Gay and as a kid I thought it was absolutely awful. I got teased all the time and I was always so self conscious about it. But now I am older and see how stupid and childish it is to make such a big deal out of A NAME.

Not a great sounding name, even without the connotations. The connotations just make it worse. I'm not homophobic, but the bullying any kid named this would get is horrific.

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Would be funny if a kid named Gay turned out to be homosexual though.

If you like the name because of the meaning, you can choose the name Blythe or Makena. It could also be a nickname for Gayle. I am COMPLETELY in favor of Gay rights (I have two grandma's that are married), but sadly, this name is pretty unusable in today's society.

I personally don't like that homosexuals use the word gay to represent themselves because it means happy and I like using British English sometimes when I talk, but now if I say I'm so gay, referring to being happy, people think I'm homosexual.

My name is Gaye and like the other people on this thread the problem isn't being teased for the name Gaye. The biggest insult that people with my name come across is being called Gail/Gayle.
The teasing does hurt, but it can really reveal a lot about the person teasing.
Being called Gayle however is like being slapped and then spat in the face. Gaye and Gayle are two separate names. Gaye (a French name) isn't really short for anything and if it is, it is usually Gabrielle. Gayle (a Hebrew name) on the other hand is short for Abigail.
It would be a bit like calling a girl with the name Jan, Jane.
If you come across someone with the name Gaye and you are tempted to call her Gayle JUST DON'T! You would be safer caller her Joy, Amanda, Michelle etc.

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I suppose I could have changed my name but I just didn't, because I liked it so much. It really is a beautiful name and it is also very strong.
The homosexual movement adopted this name/word describing themselves to give themselves a more positive better image and I suppose it worked. Homosexuality is much more acceptable now than, before. No, I am not going to put this down to them changing their title to gay but I do think the name labelling change did help.

I also really appreciate it when people get my name right. Oh, and when I introduce myself I don't say 'Hi, I am Gaye' I say "hello my name is Gaye" and if they say "err Gayle" I say "Noooo, like as in homosexual, Gaaaayyyyeeee!"

It really is sad to watch the English language be ruined by the collective childishness of today's society. Growing up with Gay as a middle name (a family name, no less) I got more pity than ridicule about it from my peers. The fact that the name is now thought of as inherently bad because of its "less-acceptable" connotations is unfortunate, given its very simple and positive original meaning.

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Still, I honestly can't recommend giving this name to a child at this point in history because its alternative meaning is such a touchy subject and there's the undeniable risk of it becoming a source of torment for its owner, both from children too young to fully comprehend their abuse of the word and adults too immature to wrap their heads around the fact that a name is not an adjective, regardless of its meaning.

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Personal experience: I grew up bearing the middle name Gay and it was fairly common knowledge. While I was aware of the connotations, I was not embarrassed by it or (thankfully) teased for it. Nor did I grow up to be either homosexual or particularly happy by nature.

I understand that years and years ago, naming your daughter Gay was the same as naming your daughter 'Joy' or 'Merry' but nowadays, if you are considering this name for your baby girl, even as a middle name, I highly suggest choosing something else, or your child will be harassed to no end everyday of their lives and they will grow up hating you. Please don't do this to your child, it's just cruel and mean.

I was named Gay 62+ years ago when the meaning of the word meant happy and joyful. It disturbed my mother greatly when the meaning of the word changed. I read the comments on your message board and am convinced that there is a definite lack of compassion in this world. A person cannot help what they were named and to change it, at this point in my life, or even 20 years ago, would have been absurd. When I receive a disrespectful or hideous comment about my name I just say yes, that is my name and my drivers license is proof.

Common sense, just not a name you use. Don't even bother with any alternative spellings or variants
It just isn't a name you should use
Sorry but go with Mae\Fae\Bae all spellings instead.

Oh how I love this name... Maybe someday (hopefully) this name will be okay to use again.

While a poor name choice in today's world, it would be funny in a satirical cartoon or something.

I remember when I was little I had a relative named Gay, and my brother and I thought it was the funniest thing ever. We used to joke about how they'd introduce themself and how if people were pointing her out they'd say, "that's Gay!"... And so on. The list of cruel, immature ridicules goes on and on. I agree with the people that say its sad that the meaning of the word has changed so much, but hey, further proof of how screwed up our society is today.

This would definitely be a controversial name to give to your kid, since we all know the big debate over Gay rights. Calling your kid Gay is setting them up to be teased.

Definitely an unfortunate name to have. I wouldn't even go there.

Even though this name means happy it's a pretty weird name. This name is even weirder due to the slang.

I actually think that this name is pretty, and it has a good meaning (the happy one). I hate how it was twisted around to mean homosexual. People can be so immature.
If you really want to use this name (which I don't recommend, because in my opinion there is nothing wrong with homosexuality, but there are plenty of people who can't look past it) I think it would be best as a middle name. A good alternative is Gayle.

This name would be ok for a character, but only one who is meant to be old or from the olden times.

Actually, the sound of the name isn't so bad, but... PLEASE don't use this name!

I love all the posers saying that this was a good name before it meant homosexual. It is honestly an ugly name to give a girl, it just looks like a misspelling of Gary which isn't very good when you consider that it's a girl name.

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I mean really people.

Back in the day, this name would have been perfectly fine, but now it's a whole different story.

I am 110% in support of gay rights, but do NOT name your kid this. She/he will be teased their entire life in school.

Whilst it may have been pretty years ago, it has an offensive meaning now. I've nothing against homosexuality, but honestly, it's like naming your kid "Bi" or "Straight".

I like this name a lot, but in this society, in this stupid, screwed up, immature society, it would be a teasing sentence. My favorite person in the universe, Freddie Mercury, was Gay, and I adore homosexuals because they are happy. They aren't afraid of what people think, and they just want to be happy and to find someone they truly love! I admire that. I hate homophobes with a passion. Bashing people who are Gay is like bashing people with a different religion. If you wouldn't make fun of people with a different religion, why would you make fun of people with a different sexual orientation?

Insert controversy.

I have nothing against homosexuality, but a lot of people seem to, so I would never name a kid this. Which is such a shame because it really is a pretty name, and has a pretty meaning.

Naming your kid "Gay" is like naming them "Happy" or "Straight". I'm for gay rights, by the way.

This is a lovely name with a great meaning. Would be a sweet middle name.

Even if it wasn't another term for a homosexual (which I really don't care if a person's Gay or not, I don't care), I wouldn't name a character or a child this. It's too plain and ugly of a word, let alone a name.

Even if this name still meant happy, it would still be rather weird to introduce yourself. It would be like saying, 'hi, I'm Happy.'

I would never name a child this, not that there's anything wrong with being Gay, but the child would be teased endlessly because in today's culture the first thing you think of if you hear the word "Gay" is most likely not "happy".
Can you just imagine it: "Hi, I'm Gay, who are you?"

Gaye would actually be a pretty name if people didn't associate it with homosexuality. Not that homosexuality is bad or anything, I just don't get why you would name their kid after a sexual orientation? It's like naming your kid Straight. I agree with the person who said it would be awkward to introduce yourself:
"Hi, I'm Gay"
"Umm, okay. That was random."
A 2-year-old telling you they are "Gay" might seem a bit odd.

I'm not homophobic or anything (bi myself) but I think this name is, at least, considered painful.

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'Hey, I'm Gay.'

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See. Ouch!

I would spell this name Gaye! Also it is sad how this name is abused by the immature. But that is society for you. However, due to the turmoil the wrong have caused, I would only ever use this name as a middle name. If I were to use it! Or possibly use it as a nickname to another name maybe like Gail or something. But more than likely if I ever chose this name I would only use it as a middle name. Another spelling is Gae!

I have nothing against homosexuals (I'm bi myself), but your kid will be teased for life, seeing how homophobic and close-minded our society is today.

I am not against homosexuality (even though I'm Catholic, but does that make a difference?), but please don't name your child this. PLEASE.

WOW. Just completely blown away. Where the HELL do I even begin? For once in my life, I am speechless. If there is ANYONE considering calling their child this, please, please, please do him/her a favor and don't. This is a humiliating name, as I am Catholic and absolutely disapprove of homosexuality (however, this is not about me, it is about the piteous child who ends up being called this).

I don't agree with homosexuality, but I don't bash, either. To convert this word/name to that is just sad. It's a good meaning - the ORIGINAL meaning. It's very cheerful and youthful. But these days, no thanks.

It'd be so easy for children to get away with making fun of someone with this name. Imagine if your child was named Gay, and someone walked up to her and said: "You're Gay!" or pointed to her and said: "She's Gay!" If the child knew that they were calling her the actual word, and not by her name, she wouldn't be able to tell an adult because they'd say: "They're just calling your name." It would get pretty complicated. Don't curse your child with this name.

Even if it didn't mean homosexual I still would think it was ugly.

Thinking about all the nice old women who have this name makes me sad sometimes. I remember reading an old yearbook from my middle school with some classmates in seventh grade, and there was a teacher in the yearbook whose first name was Gay, and the students started making jokes about it. The woman taught at the school for over 30 years and probably touched a lot of lives, and immature students will probably forever single her out as a joke in an old yearbook just because of the corruption of the meaning of the word.

It might work a little better if you pair it with something else - like Sandra-Gay, as the person at the bottom said, or Ruby-Gay, but not on its own.

My grandmother's name is Sandra Gay, and it's actually a nice name if you look past the meaning.

I can see why it's no longer used. This is just cruel to name your child. Who the hell names their kid a term for a homosexual?

Well, despite the other meaning, I really like this name! It's very sweet, short, and cute. I would name my child this, even though they might get teased. Maybe for a middle name.

I'm sure a couple of years ago I watched a program which featured a reporter called Gay Search.
Whilst her name would have been a pretty name a few years ago, it's just rather unfortunate now. Just goes to show the meaning of words and names can become victims of pejoration so easily.

I wouldn't recommend anyone to turn their children into a social experiment just because they like this name and think that only idiots would laugh at it and make fun of the person with the name. It seems like a noble idea that the child will simply tell people that they are childish, idiotic ignoramuses, and sail through life strong and bear the name with pride, but in the real world, chances are that the poor thing will be beaten up, and people will throw stuff at her and shout stuff after her or something. Besides, the name doesn't sound all that pretty, and unfortunately, it is used as a synonym for ''stupid'' by many people.

In this day and age, it just doesn't work.

Okay, I'm not a homophobe & I'm not saying that this is a bad name, I'm just saying that it's kinda like naming your child fag. Seriously, think a little while before ruining your child's life with this name in today's messed-up society.

I think it is a really sweet name that has been ruined by our culture.

I would pity a child given this name. How unfair. And Gaylord is even worse. I think that life is hard enough without the burden of having to deal with the obvious problems associated with this name. More power to you if it happens to be your name.

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What's interesting to me is that a name like Gayle is totally acceptable. Funny how delicate our sensibilites are, isn't it?

I honestly don't believe this name would ever bring "gayness" (as in happiness) to anyone who is given this name. In my culture, homosexuality isn't right. But enough about that, we can all argue later. But I just don't seem to like this name for anyone.

This shouldn't be used as an insult. I wouldn't use this name on my own children, but to each his or her own.

Now seriously, imagine introducing yourself.

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"Hi, I'm Gay!"
"Okay." *backs away slowly*

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Don't name your daughter this. Ever. The meaning has changed.

I'm not a fan of this name. I've got nothing against homosexuality, I think it's immature to go on about how awful this name is because of that meaning. I just don't like the sound of the word, I never have. Too much like naming your child Happy, which is ridiculous in my opinion.

You've got to be kidding?! Who in today's modern society would name their poor kid Gay? It's just so wrong.

Might as well look for a counselor for your child if you wanna name her this.

My name is Gaye. Even though it has other meanings which make it an unpopular choice today, I believe the true meaning is beautiful. Everyone gets teased about their name, no matter what! Besides, people who laugh about it are just plain immature or homophobic. By the way, I made it through school.

The change in the meaning of this word is sad. That a name like this has to be associated with something "wrong." First off, in my opinion there is nothing wrong with homosexuality. Second, the meaning of this word has been contorted over the years. It is originally meant as a bright, pretty name. I really like this name, but I see that it can no longer be used because people aren't mature enough to see it's true meaning.

I agree. There's nothing wrong with being gay, but in all reality, kids are just too mean. If you name a child this, he would never make it through school.

I know a lot of older people are called this but please, if you are expecting a child, DO NOT call them this, the meaning has definitely changed over the years.

If my parents named me 'Gay' I would have killed them.

This is even worse than the name "Happy," especially in this day and age.

Don't ever name your kid this, it's just wrong in today's society. :(