Tools / Baby names / J

Jay

Boy

Meaning of Jay: English: 'a bird'

Jay is a boy's name most strongly associated with English naming. It has 3 letters and 1 syllable, and it is a timeless pick that has stayed popular for over a century — 399th most popular boys' name in the United States in 2025 and 500th in England & Wales.

US rank 2025

#399

818 babies in 2025

England & Wales 2024

#500

78 babies in 2024

US babies since 1880

198,132

First recorded 1880 · peak 1960

Trend

stable

Style: classic

Popularity over time

1981: 1,804 babies1982: 1,685 babies1983: 1,561 babies1984: 1,572 babies1985: 1,544 babies1986: 1,501 babies1987: 1,501 babies1988: 1,384 babies1989: 1,456 babies1990: 1,417 babies19901991: 1,278 babies1992: 1,227 babies1993: 1,125 babies1994: 1,116 babies1995: 1,022 babies1996: 951 babies1997: 953 babies1998: 841 babies1999: 864 babies2000: 874 babies20002001: 900 babies2002: 825 babies2003: 823 babies2004: 829 babies2005: 858 babies2006: 874 babies2007: 766 babies2008: 763 babies2009: 730 babies2010: 693 babies20102011: 718 babies2012: 777 babies2013: 774 babies2014: 867 babies2015: 814 babies2016: 824 babies2017: 871 babies2018: 799 babies2019: 860 babies2020: 820 babies20202021: 877 babies2022: 911 babies2023: 848 babies2024: 838 babies2025: 818 babies
US babies named Jay per year (Social Security Administration). Peak bar = 1,804.

Gender split

99% boys · 1% girls, based on US, UK and international usage.

Origins & cultures

More English boys' names

Other names starting with J