Shay
Boy name · #1981 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Shay? In official American birth records, Shay has been tracked continuously since 1932, giving it 93 years of documented American history.
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. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Shay against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Shay in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Shay is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". 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
State-level data for Shay 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 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
How old is the name Shay?
In official American birth records, the name Shay first appeared in 1932 (over 93 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 93 years.
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. 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.