Kay
#3,903 for girls in 2025, 37 births · #7,679 for boys in 2025, 10 births
Given to girls 96.2% of the time
- Peak · girls
- 1941 · 3,538 births
- Debut · girls
- 6 births
- In top 100 · girls
- 10 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 98,621since 1885
Kay over time
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #3,903 | 37 | #7,679 | 10 |
| 2024 | #3,892 | 38 | #6,199 | 14 |
| 2023 | #3,329 | 48 | #6,517 | 13 |
| 2022 | #3,365 | 47 | #7,768 | 10 |
| 2021 | #3,614 | 42 | #8,166 | 9 |
| 2020 | #3,546 | 42 | #7,502 | 10 |
| 2019 | #3,552 | 43 | #9,756 | 7 |
| 2018 | #2,711 | 63 | #10,760 | 6 |
| 2017 | #3,145 | 51 | #8,840 | 8 |
| 2016 | #3,379 | 47 | #12,185 | 5 |
| 2015 | #3,595 | 43 | #8,744 | 8 |
| 2014 | #2,843 | 60 | #10,717 | 6 |
| 2013 | #3,166 | 51 | — | |
| 2012 | #3,169 | 52 | — | |
| 2011 | #3,407 | 47 | — | |
| 2010 | #3,409 | 47 | — | |
| 2009 | #3,800 | 41 | — | |
| 2008 | #3,529 | 46 | — | |
| 2007 | #2,750 | 66 | — | |
| 2006 | #2,778 | 63 | — | |
| 2005 | #2,731 | 61 | #11,472 | 5 |
| 2004 | #2,503 | 67 | #8,927 | 7 |
| 2003 | #2,465 | 66 | #9,581 | 6 |
| 2002 | #2,126 | 79 | — | |
| 2001 | #2,236 | 72 | — | |
| 2000 | #2,158 | 74 | — | |
| 1999 | #2,258 | 66 | — | |
| 1998 | #2,083 | 70 | #9,631 | 5 |
| 1997 | #1,945 | 74 | — | |
| 1996 | #2,058 | 67 | #7,971 | 6 |
| 1995 | #1,761 | 82 | #8,868 | 5 |
| 1994 | #1,688 | 88 | #6,968 | 7 |
| 1993 | #1,554 | 100 | #7,638 | 6 |
| 1992 | #1,507 | 104 | #8,435 | 5 |
| 1991 | #1,502 | 104 | #5,942 | 8 |
| 1990 | #1,385 | 114 | #8,117 | 5 |
| 1989 | #1,326 | 117 | #7,905 | 5 |
| 1988 | #1,104 | 141 | #4,786 | 9 |
| 1987 | #1,216 | 118 | #5,459 | 7 |
| 1986 | #1,122 | 129 | #5,332 | 7 |
| 1985 | #1,060 | 139 | — | |
| 1984 | #979 | 147 | #5,561 | 6 |
| 1983 | #973 | 150 | — | |
| 1982 | #981 | 151 | #4,593 | 8 |
| 1981 | #912 | 164 | #4,509 | 8 |
| 1980 | #966 | 153 | #6,250 | 5 |
| 1979 | #942 | 156 | #4,403 | 8 |
| 1978 | #913 | 155 | #5,059 | 6 |
| 1977 | #774 | 195 | #4,582 | 7 |
| 1976 | #755 | 191 | #4,418 | 7 |
| 1975 | #717 | 206 | — | |
| 1974 | #639 | 239 | #3,558 | 9 |
| 1973 | #581 | 272 | #5,101 | 5 |
| 1972 | #619 | 251 | #4,441 | 6 |
| 1971 | #503 | 376 | #3,658 | 8 |
| 1970 | #455 | 476 | #3,521 | 8 |
| 1969 | #432 | 498 | #2,861 | 10 |
| 1968 | #353 | 637 | #2,735 | 10 |
| 1967 | #327 | 711 | #2,611 | 10 |
| 1966 | #295 | 856 | #2,784 | 9 |
| 1965 | #270 | 1,021 | #1,918 | 17 |
| 1964 | #243 | 1,301 | #1,900 | 18 |
| 1963 | #212 | 1,608 | #2,115 | 15 |
| 1962 | #197 | 1,878 | #1,805 | 20 |
| 1961 | #192 | 1,955 | #1,570 | 26 |
| 1960 | #192 | 1,925 | #1,486 | 29 |
| 1959 | #182 | 2,004 | #1,559 | 26 |
| 1958 | #169 | 2,238 | #1,557 | 25 |
| 1957 | #163 | 2,355 | #1,278 | 37 |
| 1956 | #154 | 2,394 | #1,511 | 27 |
| 1955 | #157 | 2,327 | #1,255 | 36 |
| 1954 | #146 | 2,506 | #1,242 | 36 |
| 1953 | #146 | 2,462 | #1,304 | 33 |
| 1952 | #133 | 2,768 | #1,245 | 35 |
| 1951 | #120 | 2,963 | #1,261 | 34 |
| 1950 | #123 | 2,628 | #1,272 | 32 |
| 1949 | #119 | 2,751 | #1,029 | 46 |
| 1948 | #113 | 2,943 | #1,091 | 42 |
| 1947 | #104 | 3,520 | #906 | 59 |
| 1946 | #101 | 3,358 | #1,031 | 44 |
| 1945 | #91 | 3,058 | #884 | 51 |
| 1944 | #88 | 3,170 | #745 | 69 |
| 1943 | #81 | 3,494 | #643 | 98 |
| 1942 | #75 | 3,622 | #652 | 96 |
| 1941 | #70 | 3,538 | #613 | 96 |
| 1940 | #77 | 3,200 | #521 | 124 |
| 1939 | #76 | 3,260 | #511 | 123 |
| 1938 | #81 | 3,114 | #532 | 120 |
| 1937 | #79 | 3,010 | #506 | 129 |
| 1936 | #98 | 2,408 | #482 | 137 |
| 1935 | #134 | 1,648 | #464 | 150 |
| 1934 | #143 | 1,430 | #447 | 159 |
| 1933 | #200 | 864 | #483 | 135 |
| 1932 | #238 | 658 | #521 | 124 |
| 1931 | #259 | 558 | #518 | 124 |
| 1930 | #358 | 351 | #584 | 105 |
| 1929 | #447 | 218 | #689 | 80 |
| 1928 | #462 | 223 | #690 | 84 |
| 1927 | #419 | 267 | #619 | 102 |
| 1926 | #457 | 224 | #726 | 77 |
| 1925 | #439 | 248 | #809 | 67 |
| 1924 | #395 | 302 | #759 | 77 |
| 1923 | #396 | 285 | #701 | 85 |
| 1922 | #390 | 281 | #863 | 63 |
| 1921 | #383 | 304 | #901 | 60 |
| 1920 | #370 | 313 | #835 | 65 |
| 1919 | #354 | 330 | #1,082 | 40 |
| 1918 | #368 | 311 | #869 | 58 |
| 1917 | #376 | 283 | #1,033 | 40 |
| 1916 | #380 | 272 | #939 | 46 |
| 1915 | #386 | 243 | #1,159 | 31 |
| 1914 | #361 | 215 | #1,153 | 25 |
| 1913 | #381 | 159 | #1,146 | 20 |
| 1912 | #384 | 143 | #1,137 | 17 |
| 1911 | #382 | 111 | #1,190 | 9 |
| 1910 | #381 | 106 | #1,421 | 6 |
| 1909 | #401 | 83 | — | |
| 1908 | #417 | 75 | #1,217 | 6 |
| 1907 | #489 | 53 | #1,200 | 6 |
| 1906 | #541 | 42 | #1,253 | 5 |
| 1905 | #485 | 49 | #1,233 | 5 |
| 1904 | #529 | 39 | — | |
| 1903 | #527 | 37 | #1,130 | 5 |
| 1902 | #648 | 26 | #1,137 | 5 |
| 1901 | #684 | 22 | — | |
| 1900 | #705 | 26 | #1,050 | 7 |
| 1899 | #644 | 23 | #1,051 | 5 |
| 1898 | #920 | 14 | — | |
| 1897 | #826 | 15 | #1,057 | 5 |
| 1896 | #903 | 13 | — | |
| 1895 | #1,053 | 10 | — | |
| 1894 | #812 | 14 | #954 | 6 |
| 1893 | #739 | 16 | — | |
| 1892 | #1,171 | 7 | — | |
| 1891 | #1,332 | 5 | — | |
| 1890 | #1,338 | 5 | — | |
| 1889 | #1,025 | 7 | — | |
| 1888 | #1,136 | 6 | #917 | 6 |
| 1887 | #1,036 | 6 | — | |
| 1886 | #993 | 6 | — | |
| 1885 | #921 | 6 | — | |
| 1884 | — | — | ||
| 1883 | — | — | ||
| 1882 | — | #943 | 5 | |
| 1881 | — | — | ||
| 1880 | — | — | ||
The first year at least five girls were named Kay! It came in at #921, and was given to 6 baby girls.
Quietest stretch: 1885–1892, when fewer than 8 girls a year got the name.
Where Kay is popular in 1926
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- Hawaii#196 · 1 in 707
- Minnesota#222 · 1 in 1,807
- Wisconsin#242 · 1 in 2,372
- California#266 · 1 in 1,902
- New Jersey#292 · 1 in 3,810
Best ever in a state: #22 in Wyoming, 1938.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | #196 | 5 | 1 in 707 |
| Minnesota | #222 | 12 | 1 in 1,807 |
| Wisconsin | #242 | 10 | 1 in 2,372 |
| California | #266 | 19 | 1 in 1,902 |
| New Jersey | #292 | 8 | 1 in 3,810 |
| Michigan | #298 | 14 | 1 in 2,924 |
| Illinois | #300 | 19 | 1 in 3,134 |
| New York | #322 | 26 | 1 in 3,791 |
| Iowa | #324 | 6 | 1 in 3,312 |
| Pennsylvania | #370 | 16 | 1 in 5,719 |
| Missouri | #406 | 7 | 1 in 4,322 |
| Ohio | #407 | 9 | 1 in 6,036 |
| Oklahoma | #454 | 6 | 1 in 4,169 |
| Texas | #950 | 5 | 1 in 11,958 |
| Alabama | — | — | — |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arizona | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Florida | — | — | — |
| Georgia | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Indiana | — | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Kentucky | — | — | — |
| Louisiana | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| North Carolina | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Carolina | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Tennessee | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Virginia | — | — | — |
| Washington | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls 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 Kay
- 11 spots since 2024 (#3,892 → #3,903)
- 357 spots since 2020 (#3,546 → #3,903)
- 308 spots since 2015 (#3,595 → #3,903)
- Biggest jump: 432 spots in 1893 (#1,171 → #739)
- Biggest drop: 241 spots in 1895 (#812 → #1,053)
- Debuted 1885
- Peaked 1941 at #70 (3,538 births)
- Births halved by 1963, 22 yrs later
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 10 yrs · run 1936–1945
- Top 1,000: 93 yrs · run 1896–1984
- Highest: 1 in 336 girls born in 1939 were named Kay (0.30%)
- Latest: 1 in 43,440 girls born in 2025 (0.00%)
- Its best rank, #70 in 1941, was only 1 in 341 (0.29%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
- 33.1% of all girls named Kay (32,654) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 31 | #921 (1885) | #1,022 |
| 1890s | 122 | #644 (1899) | #974 |
| 1900s | 452 | #401 (1909) | #543 |
| 1910s | 2,173 | #354 (1919) | #375 |
| 1920s | 2,665 | #370 (1920) | #416 |
| 1930s | 17,301 | #76 (1939) | #167 |
| 1940s | 32,654 | #70 (1941) | #92 |
| 1950s | 24,645 | #120 (1951) | #149 |
| 1960s | 12,390 | #192 (1961) | #271 |
| 1970s | 2,517 | #455 (1970) | #690 |
| 1980s | 1,409 | #912 (1981) | #1,064 |
| 1990s | 869 | #1,385 (1990) | #1,774 |
| 2000s | 635 | #2,126 (2002) | #2,708 |
| 2010s | 504 | #2,711 (2018) | #3,238 |
| 2020s | 254 | #3,329 (2023) | #3,608 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Kay in 1926
Top girls' names in 1926
Top boys' names in 1926
More about 1926
girls
1,185,401 girls got a published name in 1926; 1 in 5,292 of them was named Kay, which outranked 91.9% of the 5,622 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.5% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
- #451Leta225
- #451Maudie225
- #451Maureen225
- #457Kay224
- #457Marianne224
- #457Winona224
- #460Ima223
- #461Emogene222
- #461Madeleine222
Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
- ↑ 1,047Janell#1,795 → #748
- ↑ 389Madalyn#1,225 → #836
- ↑ 382Evangelina#1,324 → #942
- ↑ 379Carla#1,252 → #873
- ↑ 351Vilma#1,020 → #669
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,110,505 boys got a published name in 1926; 1 in 14,422 of them was named Kay, which outranked 85.0% of the 4,837 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.0% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
- #722Carlyle78
- #722Lucian78
- #722Tracy78
- #726Kay77
- #726Gustav77
- #726Kirby77
- #726Theadore77
- #731Carleton76
- #731Claudie76
- #731Early76
Tied with 4 names at #726; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
- ↓ 531Okey#984 → #1,515
- ↓ 459Florentino#973 → #1,432
- ↓ 407Rexford#924 → #1,331
- ↓ 380Marshal#973 → #1,353
- ↓ 378Coolidge#746 → #1,124
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.