Kay
Girl name · #3906 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Kay? In official American birth records, Kay has been tracked continuously since 1885, giving it 140 years of documented American history.
Kay ranks #3906 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 37 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #3595, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 48,649 girls born in 2025 was named Kay.
Babies named Kay per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 140-year story
Kay first appears in the Social Security records in 1885, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1942, when 3,622 girls were named Kay — good for #75 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kay against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kay in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kay is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Kay will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kay is most common
State-level data for Kay is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Kay
Statistically, parents drawn to Kay tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Fay, Kathy, Trudy, Kim, and Judy.
FayKathyTrudyKimJudyVickyJoannLynda
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kay | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37 | #3903 |
| 2024 | 38 | #3892 |
| 2023 | 48 | #3329 |
| 2022 | 47 | #3365 |
| 2021 | 42 | #3614 |
| 2020 | 42 | #3546 |
| 2019 | 43 | #3552 |
| 2018 | 63 | #2711 |
| 2017 | 51 | #3145 |
| 2016 | 47 | #3379 |
| 2015 | 43 | #3595 |
| 2014 | 60 | #2843 |
| 2013 | 51 | #3166 |
| 2012 | 52 | #3169 |
| 2011 | 47 | #3407 |
| 2010 | 47 | #3409 |
| 2009 | 41 | #3800 |
| 2008 | 46 | #3529 |
| 2007 | 66 | #2750 |
| 2006 | 63 | #2778 |
| 2005 | 61 | #2731 |
| 2004 | 67 | #2503 |
| 2003 | 66 | #2465 |
| 2002 | 79 | #2126 |
| 2001 | 72 | #2236 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Kay?
In official American birth records, the name Kay first appeared in 1885 (over 140 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Kay a popular girl name?
Kay ranked #3906 among girls in 2025 with 37 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3595.
When was the name Kay most popular?
Kay peaked in 1942, when 3,622 American girls received the name (ranked #75 that year). Since 1942 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kay?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 48,649 newborn American girls was named Kay. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.