Zay
Boy name · #3642 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Zay? In official American birth records, Zay has been tracked continuously since 2006, giving it 19 years of documented American history.
Zay is currently the #3642 boy name in the United States — 31 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #12086, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 58,065 boys born in 2025 was named Zay.
Babies named Zay per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 19-year story
Zay first appears in the Social Security records in 2006, when 7 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 46 babies and a rank of #2789. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. 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 Zay against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Zay in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Zay is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Zay will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Zay is most common
State-level data for Zay 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 Zay
Statistically, parents drawn to Zay tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ilay, Kenay, Zeal, Shivay, and Anvay.
IlayKenayZealShivayAnvayAvyayAmayZuko
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Zay | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 31 | #3583 |
| 2024 | 46 | #2789 |
| 2023 | 34 | #3416 |
| 2022 | 37 | #3216 |
| 2021 | 15 | #5776 |
| 2020 | 18 | #5041 |
| 2019 | 28 | #3794 |
| 2018 | 19 | #4918 |
| 2017 | 15 | #5788 |
| 2016 | 6 | #10744 |
| 2015 | 5 | #12086 |
| 2014 | 10 | #7562 |
| 2013 | 8 | #8789 |
| 2012 | 7 | #9709 |
| 2011 | 11 | #7009 |
| 2010 | 5 | #12231 |
| 2006 | 7 | #9585 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Zay?
In official American birth records, the name Zay first appeared in 2006 (over 19 years ago), when 7 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 19 years.
Is Zay a popular boy name?
Zay ranked #3642 among boys in 2025 with 31 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #12086.
When was the name Zay most popular?
Zay peaked in 2024, when 46 American boys received the name (ranked #2789 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Zay?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 58,065 newborn American boys was named Zay. 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.