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Girl & boy name

Shay

Shay holds the #1225 spot on the 2025 list of the most popular girl names in the U.S. That amounts to 184 newborn girls in a single year. The name has been cooling off, slipping from #932 in 2020 to #1225 today. Its strongest year on record was 1971 (#889 nationally, 149 newborns), in a data series reaching back to 1953. The name's biggest fan base is in Pennsylvania (#615 there in 2025).

Rankings

2025 rank
#1225
among girl names
Trend
Falling
last 5 years
All-time peak
#889
in 1971 (1970s)
Babies in 2025
184
girls named Shay

Shay popularity, 1880–2025

0.005%0.010%0.015%0.020%18801900192019401960198020002020#889 in 1971
Girls — share of U.S. female birthsBoys — share of U.S. male birthsSource: SSA, 1880–2025◆ peak 1971

Where Shay is most popular

Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025AK—Maine: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025ME—Vermont: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025VT—New Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025NH—Washington: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025WA—Idaho: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025ID—Montana: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025MT—North Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025ND—Minnesota: #659 (7 girls, 0.03% of girls born 2025)MN#659Wisconsin: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025WI—Michigan: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025MI—New York: #1087 (13 girls, 0.02% of girls born 2025)NY#1087Massachusetts: #682 (7 girls, 0.03% of girls born 2025)MA#682Rhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025RI—Oregon: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025OR—Nevada: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025NV—Wyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025WY—South Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025SD—Iowa: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025IA—Illinois: #1014 (8 girls, 0.02% of girls born 2025)IL#1014Indiana: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025IN—Ohio: #878 (10 girls, 0.02% of girls born 2025)OH#878Pennsylvania: #615 (16 girls, 0.03% of girls born 2025)PA#615New Jersey: #939 (7 girls, 0.02% of girls born 2025)NJ#939Connecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025CT—California: #1185 (21 girls, 0.01% of girls born 2025)CA#1185Utah: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025UT—Colorado: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025CO—Nebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025NE—Missouri: #926 (5 girls, 0.02% of girls born 2025)MO#926Kentucky: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025KY—West Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025WV—Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025VA—Maryland: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025MD—Delaware: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025DE—Arizona: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025AZ—New Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025NM—Kansas: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025KS—Arkansas: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025AR—Tennessee: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025TN—North Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025NC—South Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025SC—District of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025DC—Oklahoma: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025OK—Louisiana: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025LA—Mississippi: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025MS—Alabama: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025AL—Georgia: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025GA—Hawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Shay in 2025HI—Texas: #1902 (11 girls, 0.01% of girls born 2025)TX#1902Florida: #1325 (10 girls, 0.01% of girls born 2025)FL#1325
Share of girls born in 2025:lowhighno data (< 5 births)
Strongest states: Pennsylvania (#615), Minnesota (#659), Massachusetts (#682)

Uniqueness score

55/ 100Balanced
everywhereone of a kind

Well known, but far from crowded — the middle of the field. Based on how many babies per birth were named Shay in the most recent year of SSA data.

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Shay as a boy name

Shay is currently the #1976 boy name in the United States, based on 2025 Social Security data. In raw numbers: 77 babies. It has drifted down the charts over the past five years, from #1758 to #1976. Looking at the full record since 1932, Shay hit its all-time high of #833 in 1991, when 154 boys were given the name. State by state, Illinois leads the way at #1133.

2025 rank
#1976
among boy names
Trend
Falling
last 5 years
All-time peak
#833
in 1991 (1990s)
Babies in 2025
77
boys named Shay

Where Shay (boys) is most popular

Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025AK—Maine: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025ME—Vermont: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025VT—New Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025NH—Washington: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025WA—Idaho: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025ID—Montana: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025MT—North Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025ND—Minnesota: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025MN—Wisconsin: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025WI—Michigan: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025MI—New York: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025NY—Massachusetts: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025MA—Rhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025RI—Oregon: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025OR—Nevada: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025NV—Wyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025WY—South Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025SD—Iowa: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025IA—Illinois: #1133 (6 boys, 0.01% of boys born 2025)IL#1133Indiana: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025IN—Ohio: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025OH—Pennsylvania: #1231 (5 boys, 0.01% of boys born 2025)PA#1231New Jersey: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025NJ—Connecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025CT—California: #1150 (17 boys, 0.01% of boys born 2025)CA#1150Utah: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025UT—Colorado: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025CO—Nebraska: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025NE—Missouri: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025MO—Kentucky: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025KY—West Virginia: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025WV—Virginia: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025VA—Maryland: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025MD—Delaware: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025DE—Arizona: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025AZ—New Mexico: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025NM—Kansas: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025KS—Arkansas: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025AR—Tennessee: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025TN—North Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025NC—South Carolina: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025SC—District of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025DC—Oklahoma: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025OK—Louisiana: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025LA—Mississippi: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025MS—Alabama: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025AL—Georgia: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025GA—Hawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025HI—Texas: fewer than 5 boys named Shay in 2025TX—Florida: #1831 (5 boys, 0.01% of boys born 2025)FL#1831
Share of boys born in 2025:lowhighno data (< 5 births)
Strongest states: Illinois (#1133), California (#1150), Pennsylvania (#1231)

Uniqueness score

67/ 100Uncommon
everywhereone of a kind

Distinctive without being unheard of. Based on how many babies per birth were named Shay in the most recent year of SSA data.

Similar names

Compare Shay