Shay
Every Shay since 1932 — 13,251 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Shay
Shay is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,227 in 2025 with 184 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1932, 13,251 American babies have been named Shay — about 62% girls and 38% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2021, when 409 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Shay stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Shay 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 | 184 | #1,227 | 77 | #1,989 |
| 2024 | 208 | #1,159 | 98 | #1,706 |
| 2023 | 255 | #1,000 | 90 | #1,802 |
| 2022 | 301 | #914 | 102 | #1,693 |
| 2021 | 300 | #903 | 109 | #1,589 |
| 2020 | 277 | #934 | 87 | #1,763 |
| 2019 | 199 | #1,184 | 74 | #1,996 |
| 2018 | 168 | #1,344 | 87 | #1,774 |
| 2017 | 180 | #1,307 | 72 | #1,999 |
| 2016 | 171 | #1,378 | 88 | #1,761 |
| 2015 | 172 | #1,379 | 62 | #2,205 |
| 2014 | 144 | #1,525 | 53 | #2,424 |
| 2013 | 115 | #1,791 | 53 | #2,395 |
| 2012 | 84 | #2,261 | 61 | #2,181 |
| 2011 | 102 | #1,951 | 76 | #1,860 |
| 2010 | 112 | #1,828 | 68 | #2,031 |
| 2009 | 109 | #1,930 | 86 | #1,772 |
| 2008 | 148 | #1,559 | 75 | #1,929 |
| 2007 | 127 | #1,721 | 88 | #1,719 |
| 2006 | 122 | #1,721 | 92 | #1,594 |
| 2005 | 123 | #1,638 | 90 | #1,567 |
| 2004 | 141 | #1,451 | 92 | #1,482 |
| 2003 | 131 | #1,493 | 101 | #1,355 |
| 2002 | 140 | #1,384 | 75 | #1,617 |
| 2001 | 125 | #1,504 | 61 | #1,837 |
| 2000 | 157 | #1,252 | 93 | #1,369 |
| 1995 | 161 | #1,106 | 129 | #981 |
| 1990 | 128 | #1,277 | 118 | #962 |
| 1985 | 93 | #1,392 | 73 | #1,091 |
| 1980 | 134 | #1,062 | 87 | #966 |
| 1975 | 98 | #1,190 | 74 | #959 |
| 1970 | 133 | #958 | 69 | #976 |
| 1965 | 33 | #2,057 | 8 | #3,211 |
| 1960 | 11 | #4,129 | 12 | #2,521 |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,570 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Shay
- Shay Mitchell Actor · b. 1987
- Shay Given Soccer player · b. 1976
- Shay Brennan Soccer player · 1937–2000
- Shay Logan Soccer player · b. 1988
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Shay in 2025?
Shay ranked #1,227 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 184 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Shay?
13,251 babies have been named Shay in the United States since 1932, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Shay most popular?
Shay peaked in 2021, when 409 newborns received the name.
Is Shay a boy or girl name?
Shay is used for both: about 62% of babies named Shay have been girls and 38% boys.
Is the name Shay rising or falling?
Shay is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Shay?
Well-known people named Shay include Shay Mitchell (actor), Shay Given (soccer player), Shay Brennan (soccer player).