Jay
A boys’ name of Latin origin, meaning a form of names beginning with J; also the bird.
How Jay has moved
View as table
| Year | US rank |
|---|---|
| 2015 | #393 |
| 2016 | #394 |
| 2017 | #383 |
| 2018 | #400 |
| 2019 | #374 |
| 2020 | #381 |
| 2021 | #376 |
| 2022 | #367 |
| 2023 | #382 |
| 2024 | #396 |
| 2025 | #392 |
Jay by the numbers
In 2025, 56 babies in England and Wales were named Jay. In the US, 856 were, though that figure is from 2017, the most recent full year we hold.
For the size of the two countries, it is given noticeably more often in the US than in England and Wales.
Its American peak was 5,384 babies in 1960, so it is a 1960s name that has since fallen a long way.
At its height, in 1960, about 1 in 400 American boys born that year was called Jay.
Names that come from Jay
Forms of Jay in other languages, names built from it, and names that mean a son or daughter of it. Not always the same sex.
- Jay-Jaya form of Jay; diminutive or reduplication11 in England and Wales (2025)
- Archie-Jaygenuine and bold; a combined form of Archie and Jay9 in England and Wales (2025)
- Reggie-Jaycounsel power; combination of Reggie and Jay6 in England and Wales (2025)
- Arthur-Jaynoble bear; compound of Arthur and Jay3 in England and Wales (2025)
- Rowan-Jayrowan tree; a form of Rowan and Jay combined3 in England and Wales (2025)
Spelled almost the same
Other names in the records within a letter or two of Jay. Close spellings are not always related names, but they are usually worth seeing together.
- Jaxgod is gracious; a spelling variant of Jackson366 in England and Wales (2025)
- Joyjoy; gladness and pleasure971 in the US (2017)
- Jaivictory39 in England and Wales (2025)
- Jacsupplanter; a form of Jack87 in England and Wales (2025)
- Jangod is gracious; a form of John57 in England and Wales (2025)
- Jakvariant of Jack; God is gracious5 in England and Wales (2025)
Sounds like Jay
Names that are said the same way as Jay, however they are written. Sounding alike does not mean they share a history.
Other names that mean a bird
Like Jay, each of these has a bird in its meaning. Different names, different histories, the same idea.
- Gavinwhite hawk4,134 in the US (2017)
- Jonahdove2,523 in the US (2017)
- Remingtonraven settlement; from the raven farm2,251 in the US (2017)
- Phoenixmythical bird that rises from ashes2,184 in the US (2017)
- Corbinraven; from corvus1,434 in the US (2017)
- Ravendark-haired; from the bird name742 in the US (2017)