Jay
Boy name · #392 in 2025 · Uniqueness 53/100
Jay ranks #392 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 809 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #393, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,225 boys born in 2025 was named Jay.
Babies named Jay per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Jay first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 103 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1960, when 5,385 boys were named Jay — good for #78 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 Jay against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Jay in class?
Jay scores 53 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Jay is most common
Geography matters for names, and Jay is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Jays were CA (96), TX (79), FL (57), NY (43), OH (33). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Jay
Statistically, parents drawn to Jay tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ray, Joey, Jeffrey, Johnny, and Clay.
RayJoeyJeffreyJohnnyClayRoyTonyTroy
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Jay | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 809 | #392 |
| 2024 | 822 | #396 |
| 2023 | 837 | #381 |
| 2022 | 897 | #367 |
| 2021 | 864 | #377 |
| 2020 | 808 | #380 |
| 2019 | 848 | #373 |
| 2018 | 799 | #397 |
| 2017 | 859 | #382 |
| 2016 | 818 | #392 |
| 2015 | 806 | #393 |
| 2014 | 850 | #370 |
| 2013 | 767 | #389 |
| 2012 | 772 | #386 |
| 2011 | 718 | #397 |
| 2010 | 687 | #410 |
| 2009 | 719 | #408 |
| 2008 | 763 | #394 |
| 2007 | 752 | #396 |
| 2006 | 867 | #350 |
| 2005 | 852 | #348 |
| 2004 | 822 | #347 |
| 2003 | 810 | #344 |
| 2002 | 825 | #334 |
| 2001 | 888 | #313 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Jay a popular boy name?
Jay ranked #392 among boys in 2025 with 809 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #393.
When was the name Jay most popular?
Jay peaked in 1960, when 5,385 American boys received the name (ranked #78 that year). Since 1960 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Jay?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,225 newborn American boys was named Jay. It scores 53/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
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.