Shay
Shay was the 1227th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 184 babies. Its best year was 1971, when it ranked 894th; the most babies were born in 2022 (301). Over the last ten years it has moved up 152 places. More babies were named Shay in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Meaning Not yet researched how we research meanings
- Rank in 2025
- #1,227 girls, down 293 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 184girls
- Girls and boys
- 72% girls, 28% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2022301 babies
- Total since 1880
- 13,251babies recorded
Shay popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,227 | #1,989 | 184 | 77 |
| 2020 | #934 | #1,763 | 277 | 87 |
| 2010 | #1,828 | #2,031 | 112 | 68 |
| 2000 | #1,252 | #1,369 | 157 | 93 |
| 1990 | #1,277 | #962 | 128 | 118 |
| 1980 | #1,062 | #966 | 134 | 87 |
| 1970 | #958 | #976 | 133 | 69 |
| 1960 | #4,129 | #2,521 | 11 | 12 |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
How popular is Shay, counting every spelling?
Shay is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #730 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,227 for Shay on its own. Together these spellings went to 385 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shay | 184 | #1,227 | 1,248 |
| Shea | 201 | #1,159 | 1,136 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Shay?
184 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Shay (0.05 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Shay born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 46 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Shay.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Shay?
About 8,000 people born in the US named Shay are alive today, with a median age of 25; half are between 9 and 39. That makes Shay mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Shay by state
How common Shay was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Massachusetts (2.6×), New Jersey (2.6×), Minnesota (2.3×), Illinois (2.2×), Wisconsin (2.0×). In 24 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Shay: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Shay, they share its era and feel.
Shay is also a nickname for Sharon.
Questions about the name Shay
How popular is the name Shay?
Shay was the 1227th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 184 babies. Its best year was 1971, when it ranked 894th; the most babies were born in 2022 (301). Over the last ten years it has moved up 152 places. More babies were named Shay in the 1990s than in any other decade.
Is Shay a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 72% girls, 28% boys given the name Shay in the US.
Where is Shay most popular?
In 2021–2025, Shay was most common in Massachusetts (0.41 per 1,000 girls), followed by New Jersey and Minnesota.