Gayle (/ˈɡeɪl/ GAYL) is a variant spelling of Gail, a short form of the name Abigail.
[1] Abigail is a feminine English name with Hebrew origins, meaning "my father is joy."
In the Old Testament Abigail was King David's third wife, described as 'good in discretion and beautiful in form'.
[2] The name is used in modern English and was a popular baby's name during the 1950s and 1960s.
[1] Gayle may occasionally be used as a masculine name.