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Name Lineage

    The first name Shay

    A unisex name from Irish.

    1 syllable Unisex Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Irish origin

    Variant of Shea, from Irish Ó Séaghdha.

    Shay is a short form of

    .

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 73 boys were named Shay, making it the 529th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2010, with 338 births (#164).

    0200400 1996200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    5,613
    babies named Shay, 1996–2025
    #529
    rank in 2025
    2010
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Shay with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Shay at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 184 girls born in the United States were named Shay, the 1,227th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2022, when 301 were.

    0200400 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    13,251
    babies named Shay since 1880
    #1,227
    rank in 2025
    2022
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Other spellings and forms

    Famous people named Shay

    10 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Shay Astar
      American actress, singer-songwriter, born 1981
    • Shay Jordan
      American pornographic actress, born 1985
    • Shay Facey
      English association football player (born 1995)
    • Shay Murphy
      American basketball player, born 1985
    • Shay Sweet
      American pornographic actress, born 1978
    • Shay Laren
      American pornographic actress, born 1985
    • Shay Hatten
      American screenwriter, born 1994
    • Shay Sights
      Canadian pornographic actress, born 1973
    • Shaleum Logan
      English association football player (born 1988)
    • Kean Bryan
      English association football player (born 1996)

    More Irish unisex names

    All 142 names of Irish origin

    Questions

    What does the name Shay mean?
    Variant of Shea, from Irish Ó Séaghdha.
    What is the origin of the name Shay?
    Variant of Shea, from Irish Ó Séaghdha.
    How popular is the name Shay?
    In 2025, 73 boys born in England and Wales were named Shay, ranking 529th. Its peak was 2010, with 338 births.
    Is Shay a boy's or a girl's name?
    Both. Of the 13,251 US babies named Shay since 1880, 62% were girls and 38% boys.
    When was Shay most popular?
    2022 in the United States, when 301 babies were named Shay, its highest rank at 914th.
    What are other spellings of Shay?
    Shaye.
    Is Shay also a surname?
    Yes. Shay is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.