#3962024 rank
1960peak year
186,308babies named Jay since 1880
▼ 3%5-year trend
Jay popularity over 145 years
⭐ Sweet spot — known but not everywhere · roughly undefined% girls / NaN% boys in 2024
What does Jay mean?
A short form of names like James and Jason, and equally the chattering songbird, from Old French jai. Minimal, bright, and easy to pair.
OriginEnglish, Old French
Syllables1
Genderboy
Styleclassic, nature
Names like Jay
Same era, same vibe — if you like Jay, these usually land on the shortlist too.
Famous Jays
- Jay Leno, comedian
Spellings & variants
JaeJai
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