compare Old Spanish gayo, Portuguese gaio, Italian gajo, probably French loan-words). as a surname, Philippus de Gay), from Old French gai 'joyful, happy pleasant, agreeably charming forward, pert light-colored' (12c. Late 14c., 'full of joy, merry light-hearted, carefree ' also 'wanton, lewd, lascivious' (late 12c.
