Where does the name Jay come from?

Jay is a boy name of English origin.

Is Jay a boy or a girl name?

Jay is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Jay are girls and 99% are boys.

How popular is the name Jay in 2023?

Jay ranks #9267 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1960 with 5,429 babies.

How do you pronounce Jay?

Jay is pronounced JAY (1 syllable).

What are common spellings of Jay?

Jay is also written as Jaye, Jai.

A name from English · Boy

Jay

Either from the English bird name (the loud, blue-feathered Eurasian jay, ultimately from Latin gaius) or as a short form of any J-name — James, Jacob, Joseph, Jason. Independent since the 19th century.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

193,917 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

848 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

JEither from the English bird name (the loud, blue-feathered Eurasian jay, ultimately from Latin gaius) or as a short form of any J-name — James, Jacob, Joseph, Jason. Independent since the 19th century.

Variants & spellings

2 ways to spell "Jay".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Jaye Most common Jai

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Jay.

J
Jay-Z (rapper, Shawn Carter)
J
Jay Leno (TV host)
J
John Jay (founding father; surname)

Quick answers

People often ask about Jay.

What does the name Jay mean?: Jay means either from the English bird name (the loud, blue-feathered Eurasian jay, ultimately from Latin gaius) or as a short form of any J-name — James, Jacob, Joseph, Jason. Independent since the 19th century.
Where does the name Jay come from?: Jay is a boy name of English origin.
Is Jay a boy or a girl name?: Jay is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Jay are girls and 99% are boys.
How popular is the name Jay in 2023?: Jay ranks #9267 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1960 with 5,429 babies.
How do you pronounce Jay?: Jay is pronounced JAY (1 syllable).
What are common spellings of Jay?: Jay is also written as Jaye, Jai.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.