Kay
Every Kay since 1882 — 102,545 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kay
Kay is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #3,946 in 2025 with 37 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1882, 102,545 American babies have been named Kay. Its peak came in 1942, when 3,718 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
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 Kay stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kay 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 | 37 | #3,946 | 10 | #7,951 |
| 2024 | 38 | #3,926 | 14 | #6,334 |
| 2023 | 48 | #3,349 | 13 | #6,719 |
| 2022 | 47 | #3,391 | 10 | #8,049 |
| 2021 | 42 | #3,644 | 9 | #8,517 |
| 2020 | 42 | #3,577 | 10 | #7,805 |
| 2019 | 43 | #3,586 | 7 | #10,303 |
| 2018 | 63 | #2,723 | 6 | #11,492 |
| 2017 | 51 | #3,175 | 8 | #9,294 |
| 2016 | 47 | #3,399 | 5 | #13,233 |
| 2015 | 43 | #3,632 | 8 | #9,163 |
| 2014 | 60 | #2,870 | 6 | #11,439 |
| 2013 | 51 | #3,204 | — | — |
| 2012 | 52 | #3,191 | — | — |
| 2011 | 47 | #3,432 | — | — |
| 2010 | 47 | #3,443 | — | — |
| 2009 | 41 | #3,836 | — | — |
| 2008 | 46 | #3,555 | — | — |
| 2007 | 66 | #2,768 | — | — |
| 2006 | 63 | #2,795 | — | — |
| 2005 | 61 | #2,746 | 5 | #12,409 |
| 2004 | 67 | #2,515 | 7 | #9,462 |
| 2003 | 66 | #2,477 | 6 | #10,250 |
| 2002 | 79 | #2,129 | — | — |
| 2001 | 72 | #2,249 | — | — |
| 2000 | 74 | #2,163 | — | — |
| 1995 | 82 | #1,768 | 5 | #9,603 |
| 1990 | 114 | #1,393 | 5 | #8,823 |
| 1985 | 139 | #1,063 | — | — |
| 1980 | 153 | #969 | 5 | #6,766 |
| 1975 | 206 | #720 | — | — |
| 1970 | 476 | #455 | 8 | #3,677 |
| 1965 | 1,021 | #270 | 17 | #1,961 |
| 1960 | 1,925 | #192 | 29 | #1,504 |
| 1955 | 2,327 | #157 | 36 | #1,260 |
| 1950 | 2,628 | #123 | 32 | #1,278 |
| 1945 | 3,058 | #91 | 51 | #893 |
| 1940 | 3,200 | #77 | 124 | #522 |
| 1935 | 1,648 | #134 | 150 | #465 |
| 1930 | 351 | #358 | 105 | #588 |
| 1925 | 248 | #439 | 67 | #811 |
| 1920 | 313 | #370 | 65 | #839 |
| 1915 | 243 | #386 | 31 | #1,172 |
| 1910 | 106 | #382 | 6 | #1,510 |
| 1905 | 49 | #485 | 5 | #1,335 |
| 1900 | 26 | #714 | 7 | #1,111 |
| 1895 | 10 | #1,088 | — | — |
| 1890 | 5 | #1,423 | — | — |
| 1885 | 6 | #987 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Kay
- Kay Parker Writer · b. 1944
- Kay Sage Painter · 1898–1963
- Kay Kendall Actor · 1927–1959
- Kay Ivey Politician · b. 1944
- Kay Francis Actor · 1905–1968
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Kay in 2025?
Kay ranked #3,946 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 37 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kay?
102,545 babies have been named Kay in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kay most popular?
Kay peaked in 1942, when 3,718 newborns received the name.
Is Kay a boy or girl name?
Kay is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 96% of babies with the name.
Is the name Kay rising or falling?
Kay has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Kay?
Well-known people named Kay include Kay Parker (writer), Kay Sage (painter), Kay Kendall (actor).