Shay

Meaning: Fine or fortunate
Origin: Variant of Shea · from the Irish byname Séaghdha (from Irish, anglicized from Ó Séaghdha)

Boy's name · #1989 in the US (2025) · Timeless

28% boys · 72% girls — About 72% of babies named Shay in recent years have been girls. Shay →

Popularity over time

Few names move less than Shay — on the books since 1932, #1989 in 2025, and dependable in between. Roughly 5,000 boys share it.

Across the states

See where Shay is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 9 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Shay ranks in other countries and regions.

#53 in Ireland (2025) · #236 in N. Ireland (2025) · #240 in Scotland (2025) · #535 in England & Wales (2025) · #2,982 in France (2025) · #1,272 in Canada (2024).

Famous Shays

Shay Given — Irish association football player
Shay Brennan — Irish footballer (1937–2000)
Shay Facey — English association football player (born 1995)
Shay Haley — American rapper, singer, songwriter, musician and record producer
Shay Spitz — New Zealand footballer (born 1988)

In stories & tradition

Shay Patrick Cormac — Assassin's Creed Rogue (video game)

What Shays become

Among 177 notable people named Shay:

Sports figures appear 2.3× more often than among typical names — e.g. Shay Given, Irish association football player.

Similar names: Sai · Kasey · Zach · Esai · Dezmond · Oshea

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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