Shay
Boy name · #1981 in 2025 · Uniqueness 75/100
Shay ranks #1981 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 77 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2189, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 23,377 boys born in 2025 was named Shay.
The 93-year story
Shay first appears in the Social Security records in 1932, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1991, when 154 boys were named Shay — good for #833 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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.
Babies named Shay per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Shay against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Shay in class?
Shay scores 75 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Shay will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Shay is most common
Geography matters for names, and Shay is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Shays were CA (17), IL (6), FL (5), PA (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Shay
Statistically, parents drawn to Shay tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Shea, Rico, Eloy, Skye, and Korey.
SheaRicoEloySkyeKoreyShelbyKaseyJade
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Shay | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 77 | #1976 |
| 2024 | 98 | #1701 |
| 2023 | 90 | #1787 |
| 2022 | 102 | #1678 |
| 2021 | 109 | #1583 |
| 2020 | 87 | #1758 |
| 2019 | 74 | #1974 |
| 2018 | 87 | #1762 |
| 2017 | 72 | #1977 |
| 2016 | 88 | #1754 |
| 2015 | 62 | #2189 |
| 2014 | 53 | #2402 |
| 2013 | 53 | #2364 |
| 2012 | 61 | #2172 |
| 2011 | 76 | #1849 |
| 2010 | 68 | #2010 |
| 2009 | 86 | #1762 |
| 2008 | 75 | #1916 |
| 2007 | 88 | #1713 |
| 2006 | 92 | #1583 |
| 2005 | 90 | #1554 |
| 2004 | 92 | #1477 |
| 2003 | 101 | #1348 |
| 2002 | 75 | #1609 |
| 2001 | 61 | #1816 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Shay a popular boy name?
Shay ranked #1981 among boys in 2025 with 77 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2189.
When was the name Shay most popular?
Shay peaked in 1991, when 154 American boys received the name (ranked #833 that year). Since 1991 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Shay?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 23,377 newborn American boys was named Shay. It scores 75/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.