Chay
Every Chay since 1972 — 429 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Chay
Chay is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1972, 429 American babies have been named Chay — about 87% boys and 13% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1992, when 24 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1990s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Chay stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Chay year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — | 8 | #8,996 |
| 2015 | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — | 7 | #9,800 |
| 2010 | — | — | 5 | #12,572 |
| 2009 | — | — | 11 | #7,304 |
| 2008 | — | — | 7 | #10,040 |
| 2007 | 5 | #18,201 | 8 | #9,053 |
| 2006 | — | — | 10 | #7,522 |
| 2005 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — | 10 | #7,060 |
| 2003 | — | — | 10 | #6,812 |
| 2002 | — | — | 16 | #4,734 |
| 2001 | — | — | 10 | #6,537 |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — | 10 | #5,561 |
| 1990 | 6 | #11,678 | 12 | #4,447 |
| 1985 | — | — | 11 | #3,838 |
| 1980 | — | — | 9 | #4,192 |
| 1975 | — | — | 5 | #5,597 |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Chay
- Chay Hews Soccer player · b. 1976
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Chay in 2025?
Chay did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Chay?
429 babies have been named Chay in the United States since 1972, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Chay most popular?
Chay peaked in 1992, when 24 newborns received the name.
Is Chay a boy or girl name?
Chay is used for both: about 13% of babies named Chay have been girls and 87% boys.
Is the name Chay rising or falling?
Chay has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Chay?
Well-known people named Chay include Chay Hews (soccer player).