Kay

Kay - A very unique female name

Kay appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #401. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Kay and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Kay? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Kay. The baby girl name Kay was given to 5 baby girls in 2025, ranking #5017 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 260,694 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Kay peaked in popularity 85 years ago in 1941 on position 70.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Kay, 1-5?

Kay is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Kay is currently topping the baby name charts in Texas at position #3,559 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #3,559.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Kay is where you live.

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Kay origin and meaning

Short form — multiple sources

Uncertain — as a girl's name Kay is usually a short form of Katherine or of K names generally, while Kay also exists independently as the Arthurian knight's name from Welsh Cai; no single source covers its use

Kay was a substantial name in its own right, peaking in 1942 with 3,612 births across 114 years in the data. Its everyday source was Katherine and her family, whose own Greek etymology is itself disputed, so Kay's meaning cannot be stated beyond its role as a short form.

Origin uncertain

Kay is a 3 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Kay, pop culture references for the name Kay and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Kay

We've found the following names that sound similar to Kay, sorted by popularity.

Kasey / Keisha / Kaia / Kacie / Kaye / Kacey / Kaya / Kaci / Kaiya / Kai /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Kay

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Kay a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Kay?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

KAY · /keɪ/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Kaye — A spelling variant of the same short form.

Famous bearers

• Kay Starr — Big-band and pop singer, born Katherine Laverne Starks and famous throughout her career as Kay Starr (1922–2016) Contemporary

Style

Short formClassic

Why parents choose it

Kay is a crisp, one-syllable vintage short name for parents who like names pared to the bone.

Worth knowing

• Falling and now rare, it reads as a mid-century name, and most people will assume it is short for Katherine or Kayla.