Jay

#10,107 for girls in 2025, 9 births · #392 for boys in 2025, 809 births
Given to boys 98.7% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1960 · 5,385 births
Debut · boys
103 births
In top 100 · boys
16 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
195,548
since 1880

Jay over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100rank188019001920194019601980200020201960peak #78, 1960boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#10,1079#392809
2024#6,93216#396822
2023#8,98911#381837
2022#7,63114#367897
2021#8,02413#377864
2020#8,40612#380808
2019#8,59712#373848
2018—#397799
2017#8,77612#382859
2016#14,3316#392818
2015#11,8358#393806
2014#6,98717#370850
2013#13,1507#389767
2012#16,8695#386772
2011—#397718
2010#14,9596#410687
2009#9,97511#408719
2008—#394763
2007#8,52014#396752
2006#13,6067#350867
2005#14,5026#348852
2004#12,7617#347822
2003#7,99813#344810
2002—#334825
2001#8,19612#313888
2000#15,0315#326869
1999#9,4799#325855
1998#10,1228#326833
1997#10,8367#292946
1996#8,8129#287942
1995#7,51411#2751,011
1994#6,31914#2621,102
1993#4,99819#2601,106
1992#10,4797#2361,220
1991#7,98710#2341,268
1990#6,13114#2171,403
1989#6,53112#2031,444
1988#5,32115#1991,369
1987#5,31214#1851,487
1986#4,53917#1791,484
1985#3,98320#1751,524
1984#4,16618#1711,554
1983#3,80620#1701,541
1982#4,16718#1641,667
1981#4,34417#1531,787
1980#3,60922#1411,984
1979#3,54122#1262,145
1978#3,19624#1192,151
1977#3,61220#1302,097
1976#3,54019#1262,105
1975#2,23237#1172,174
1974#2,61628#1102,360
1973#2,26734#1182,215
1972#2,05738#1152,443
1971#3,06222#1142,866
1970#2,12038#973,415
1969#2,35030#953,181
1968#2,16431#873,428
1967#1,84840#873,612
1966#2,58622#913,598
1965#2,06432#903,944
1964#1,97536#844,567
1963#1,81541#854,720
1962#1,44459#805,158
1961#1,69745#815,119
1960#1,69544#785,385
1959#1,55249#884,940
1958#1,57846#865,027
1957#1,50750#884,630
1956#1,37857#924,120
1955#1,48047#1033,396
1954#1,31757#1013,372
1953#1,42447#993,235
1952#1,45444#1063,028
1951#1,55537#1162,637
1950#1,65332#1152,584
1949#1,46939#1182,457
1948#1,66931#1232,272
1947#1,57636#1192,438
1946#1,36041#1152,196
1945#1,26140#1251,760
1944#1,48630#1361,554
1943#1,62527#1341,673
1942#1,91720#1331,598
1941#1,56925#1371,416
1940#1,59124#1391,291
1939#2,03816#1421,146
1938#1,50525#1381,181
1937#1,41627#1361,147
1936#1,54923#1401,102
1935#1,55023#1471,067
1934#1,34429#157933
1933#1,65821#151949
1932#1,52025#161934
1931#1,94117#166867
1930#1,74821#166891
1929#1,44728#168842
1928#1,31034#185769
1927#1,30337#171870
1926#1,19841#175827
1925#1,94620#182789
1924#2,30816#170854
1923#2,26416#172829
1922#2,38715#180780
1921#2,19517#174828
1920#2,17217#201666
1919#2,81311#197637
1918#1,88720#185706
1917#1,43127#188643
1916#1,44526#184640
1915#1,96416#200537
1914#1,74015#213379
1913#1,52815#192349
1912#2,3607#183318
1911#2,4635#229126
1910#1,7738#213120
1909—#21798
1908#1,4399#21889
1907—#21091
1906—#20387
1905#1,5387#19392
1904—#18995
1903—#19382
1902—#18889
1901—#16096
1900—#189107
1899—#20863
1898—#18485
1897—#18682
1896#1,5835#20278
1895—#17191
1894—#16096
1893—#142105
1892—#145111
1891—#13799
1890—#133108
1889—#139104
1888—#129122
1887—#124106
1886—#126107
1885—#14991
1884—#130110
1883—#12897
1882—#17080
1881—#12396
1880—#126103
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Jay was already there! It came in at #126, and was given to 103 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 1895–1899, when fewer than 92 boys a year got the name.

Where Jay is popular in 1960

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #53 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 214 boysAKMaine: #53 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 238 boysMEVermont: #60 for boys · 14 births · 1 in 277 boysVTNew Hampshire: #47 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 218 boysNHWashington: #50 for boys · 151 births · 1 in 205 boysWAIdaho: #67 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 249 boysIDMontana: #45 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 165 boysMTNorth Dakota: #45 for boys · 51 births · 1 in 145 boysNDMinnesota: #44 for boys · 244 births · 1 in 174 boysMNIllinois: #75 for boys · 307 births · 1 in 377 boysILWisconsin: #47 for boys · 244 births · 1 in 197 boysWIMichigan: #92 for boys · 184 births · 1 in 513 boysMINew York: #76 for boys · 406 births · 1 in 442 boysNYMassachusetts: #58 for boys · 153 births · 1 in 374 boysMARhode Island: #73 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 501 boysRIOregon: #63 for boys · 74 births · 1 in 244 boysORNevada: #70 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 262 boysNVWyoming: #46 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 161 boysWYSouth Dakota: #42 for boys · 50 births · 1 in 157 boysSDIowa: #53 for boys · 148 births · 1 in 211 boysIAIndiana: #60 for boys · 194 births · 1 in 280 boysINOhio: #74 for boys · 303 births · 1 in 370 boysOHPennsylvania: #64 for boys · 343 births · 1 in 349 boysPANew Jersey: #80 for boys · 123 births · 1 in 505 boysNJConnecticut: #61 for boys · 74 births · 1 in 361 boysCTCalifornia: #97 for boys · 397 births · 1 in 468 boysCAUtah: #49 for boys · 63 births · 1 in 193 boysUTColorado: #68 for boys · 72 births · 1 in 296 boysCONebraska: #55 for boys · 67 births · 1 in 243 boysNEMissouri: #91 for boys · 106 births · 1 in 461 boysMOKentucky: #132 for boys · 45 births · 1 in 788 boysKYWest Virginia: #86 for boys · 45 births · 1 in 421 boysWVVirginia: #111 for boys · 77 births · 1 in 548 boysVAMaryland: #99 for boys · 66 births · 1 in 497 boysMDDelaware: #65 for boys · 17 births · 1 in 300 boysDEArizona: #87 for boys · 47 births · 1 in 361 boysAZNew Mexico: #90 for boys · 39 births · 1 in 352 boysNMKansas: #63 for boys · 87 births · 1 in 263 boysKSArkansas: #128 for boys · 30 births · 1 in 643 boysARTennessee: #163 for boys · 38 births · 1 in 1,039 boysTNNorth Carolina: #107 for boys · 94 births · 1 in 555 boysNCSouth Carolina: #165 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 886 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: #93 for boys · 32 births · 1 in 465 boysDCOklahoma: #74 for boys · 78 births · 1 in 305 boysOKLouisiana: #132 for boys · 72 births · 1 in 586 boysLAMississippi: #218 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 1,280 boysMSAlabama: #159 for boys · 46 births · 1 in 822 boysALGeorgia: #128 for boys · 74 births · 1 in 652 boysGAHawaii: #82 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 303 boysHITexas: #89 for boys · 322 births · 1 in 381 boysTXFlorida: #105 for boys · 116 births · 1 in 473 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. South Dakota#42 · 1 in 157
  2. Minnesota#44 · 1 in 174
  3. North Dakota#45 · 1 in 145
  4. Montana#45 · 1 in 165
  5. Wyoming#46 · 1 in 161

Best ever in a state: #19 in Utah, 1937.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
South Dakota#42501 in 157
Minnesota#442441 in 174
Montana#45461 in 165
North Dakota#45511 in 145
Wyoming#46211 in 161
New Hampshire#47281 in 218
Wisconsin#472441 in 197
Utah#49631 in 193
Washington#501511 in 205
Alaska#53151 in 214
Iowa#531481 in 211
Maine#53461 in 238
Nebraska#55671 in 243
Massachusetts#581531 in 374
Indiana#601941 in 280
Vermont#60141 in 277
Connecticut#61741 in 361
Kansas#63871 in 263
Oregon#63741 in 244
Pennsylvania#643431 in 349
Delaware#65171 in 300
Idaho#67301 in 249
Colorado#68721 in 296
Nevada#70111 in 262
Rhode Island#73181 in 501
Ohio#743031 in 370
Oklahoma#74781 in 305
Illinois#753071 in 377
New York#764061 in 442
New Jersey#801231 in 505
Hawaii#82241 in 303
West Virginia#86451 in 421
Arizona#87471 in 361
Texas#893221 in 381
New Mexico#90391 in 352
Missouri#911061 in 461
Michigan#921841 in 513
District of Columbia#93321 in 465
California#973971 in 468
Maryland#99661 in 497
Florida#1051161 in 473
North Carolina#107941 in 555
Virginia#111771 in 548
Arkansas#128301 in 643
Georgia#128741 in 652
Kentucky#132451 in 788
Louisiana#132721 in 586
Alabama#159461 in 822
Tennessee#163381 in 1,039
South Carolina#165321 in 886
Mississippi#218211 in 1,280

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Jay
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 4 spots since 2024 (#396 → #392)
  • 12 spots since 2020 (#380 → #392)
  • 1 spot since 2015 (#393 → #392)
  • Biggest jump: 46 spots in 1912 (#229 → #183)
  • Biggest drop: 47 spots in 1882 (#123 → #170)
Rise & fade · boys
80 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1960 at #78 (5,385 births)
  • Births halved by 1972, 12 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 16 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 16 yrs · run 1956–1970
  • Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 396
  • Highest: 1 in 396 boys born in 1960 were named Jay (0.25%)
  • Latest: 1 in 2,111 boys born in 2025 (0.05%)
Era · boys
The 1960s
  • 21.8% of all boys named Jay (42,712) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s1,016#123 (1881)#134
1890s918#133 (1890)#167
1900s926#160 (1901)#196
1910s4,455#183 (1912)#198
1920s8,054#168 (1929)#178
1930s10,217#136 (1937)#150
1940s18,655#115 (1946)#128
1950s36,969#86 (1958)#99
1960s42,712#78 (1960)#86
1970s23,971#97 (1970)#117
1980s15,841#141 (1980)#174
1990s10,686#217 (1990)#271
2000s8,167#313 (2001)#356
2010s7,924#370 (2014)#389
2020s5,037#367 (2022)#382

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Jay in 1960

girls
#1,695
44 births · 1 in 45,953 girls
boys
#78
5,385 births · 1 in 396 boys

Top girls' names in 1960

  1. #1Mary51,472
  2. #2Susan39,208
  3. #3Linda37,316
  4. #4Karen36,378
  5. #5Donna34,138
  6. #6Lisa33,693
  7. #7Patricia32,113
  8. #8Debra26,732
  9. #9Cynthia26,706
  10. #10Deborah25,266
  11. #1,695Jay44

Top boys' names in 1960

  1. #1David85,929
  2. #2Michael84,153
  3. #3James76,815
  4. #4John76,096
  5. #5Robert72,357
  6. #6Mark58,727
  7. #7William49,361
  8. #8Richard43,553
  9. #9Thomas39,278
  10. #10Steven33,878
  11. #78Jay5,385
More about 1960

girls

2,021,941 girls got a published name in 1960; 1 in 45,953 of them was named Jay, which outranked 76.9% of the 7,332 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Jay
  1. #1,673Tomi45
  2. #1,673Tommy45
  3. #1,673Vanda45
  4. #1,695Jay44
  5. #1,695Adelina44
  6. #1,695Alanna44
  7. #1,695Alida44
  8. #1,725Armida43
  9. #1,725Belia43
  10. #1,725Cherylann43

Tied with 29 names at #1,695; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1959
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,798Lisha#2,395 → #597
  2. ↑ 1,223Elana#2,108 → #885
  3. ↑ 667Leisha#1,537 → #870
  4. ↑ 513Misty#1,214 → #701
  5. ↑ 462Loriann#1,396 → #934
Fallers
  1. ↓ 421Taryn#771 → #1,192
  2. ↓ 335Cheryll#993 → #1,328
  3. ↓ 305Marilynn#724 → #1,029
  4. ↓ 304Drema#997 → #1,301
  5. ↓ 258Merrie#978 → #1,236

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

2,132,320 boys got a published name in 1960; 1 in 396 of them was named Jay, which outranked 98.3% of the 4,598 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 29.1% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Jay
  1. #75Jim5,549
  2. #76Philip5,509
  3. #77Martin5,495
  4. #78Jay5,385
  5. #79Curtis5,363
  6. #80Roy5,255
  7. #81Willie5,238
Biggest movers since 1959
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,061Stephon#3,988 → #927
  2. ↑ 1,039Kennedy#1,759 → #720
  3. ↑ 489Darryle#1,416 → #927
  4. ↑ 379Garret#1,360 → #981
  5. ↑ 373Darryll#1,324 → #951
Fallers
  1. ↓ 333Grayling#987 → #1,320
  2. ↓ 327Lucious#946 → #1,273
  3. ↓ 274Brion#919 → #1,193
  4. ↓ 261Gail#747 → #1,008
  5. ↓ 254Delton#939 → #1,193

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1960 →