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

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1941 · 3,538 births
Debut · girls
6 births
In top 100 · girls
10 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
98,621
since 1885

Kay over time

girls

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

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201915peak #70, 1941girls
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#3,90337#7,67910
2024#3,89238#6,19914
2023#3,32948#6,51713
2022#3,36547#7,76810
2021#3,61442#8,1669
2020#3,54642#7,50210
2019#3,55243#9,7567
2018#2,71163#10,7606
2017#3,14551#8,8408
2016#3,37947#12,1855
2015#3,59543#8,7448
2014#2,84360#10,7176
2013#3,16651
2012#3,16952
2011#3,40747
2010#3,40947
2009#3,80041
2008#3,52946
2007#2,75066
2006#2,77863
2005#2,73161#11,4725
2004#2,50367#8,9277
2003#2,46566#9,5816
2002#2,12679
2001#2,23672
2000#2,15874
1999#2,25866
1998#2,08370#9,6315
1997#1,94574
1996#2,05867#7,9716
1995#1,76182#8,8685
1994#1,68888#6,9687
1993#1,554100#7,6386
1992#1,507104#8,4355
1991#1,502104#5,9428
1990#1,385114#8,1175
1989#1,326117#7,9055
1988#1,104141#4,7869
1987#1,216118#5,4597
1986#1,122129#5,3327
1985#1,060139
1984#979147#5,5616
1983#973150
1982#981151#4,5938
1981#912164#4,5098
1980#966153#6,2505
1979#942156#4,4038
1978#913155#5,0596
1977#774195#4,5827
1976#755191#4,4187
1975#717206
1974#639239#3,5589
1973#581272#5,1015
1972#619251#4,4416
1971#503376#3,6588
1970#455476#3,5218
1969#432498#2,86110
1968#353637#2,73510
1967#327711#2,61110
1966#295856#2,7849
1965#2701,021#1,91817
1964#2431,301#1,90018
1963#2121,608#2,11515
1962#1971,878#1,80520
1961#1921,955#1,57026
1960#1921,925#1,48629
1959#1822,004#1,55926
1958#1692,238#1,55725
1957#1632,355#1,27837
1956#1542,394#1,51127
1955#1572,327#1,25536
1954#1462,506#1,24236
1953#1462,462#1,30433
1952#1332,768#1,24535
1951#1202,963#1,26134
1950#1232,628#1,27232
1949#1192,751#1,02946
1948#1132,943#1,09142
1947#1043,520#90659
1946#1013,358#1,03144
1945#913,058#88451
1944#883,170#74569
1943#813,494#64398
1942#753,622#65296
1941#703,538#61396
1940#773,200#521124
1939#763,260#511123
1938#813,114#532120
1937#793,010#506129
1936#982,408#482137
1935#1341,648#464150
1934#1431,430#447159
1933#200864#483135
1932#238658#521124
1931#259558#518124
1930#358351#584105
1929#447218#68980
1928#462223#69084
1927#419267#619102
1926#457224#72677
1925#439248#80967
1924#395302#75977
1923#396285#70185
1922#390281#86363
1921#383304#90160
1920#370313#83565
1919#354330#1,08240
1918#368311#86958
1917#376283#1,03340
1916#380272#93946
1915#386243#1,15931
1914#361215#1,15325
1913#381159#1,14620
1912#384143#1,13717
1911#382111#1,1909
1910#381106#1,4216
1909#40183
1908#41775#1,2176
1907#48953#1,2006
1906#54142#1,2535
1905#48549#1,2335
1904#52939
1903#52737#1,1305
1902#64826#1,1375
1901#68422
1900#70526#1,0507
1899#64423#1,0515
1898#92014
1897#82615#1,0575
1896#90313
1895#1,05310
1894#81214#9546
1893#73916
1892#1,1717
1891#1,3325
1890#1,3385
1889#1,0257
1888#1,1366#9176
1887#1,0366
1886#9936
1885#9216
1884
1883
1882#9435
1881
1880
First appearance
1885

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 1915

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedNHWashington: #229 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,564 girlsWAIdaho: #157 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 616 girlsIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #327 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 3,308 girlsMNIllinois: #235 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 2,131 girlsILWisconsin: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedWIMichigan: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedMINew York: #254 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 2,616 girlsNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedSDIowa: #356 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 3,166 girlsIAIndiana: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedINOhio: #395 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 5,705 girlsOHPennsylvania: #241 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 2,814 girlsPANew Jersey: #294 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 4,518 girlsNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #223 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 1,434 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedUTColorado: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedCONebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedNEMissouri: #425 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 4,404 girlsMOKentucky: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedKYWest Virginia: #298 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 2,114 girlsWVVirginia: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedVAMaryland: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedNMKansas: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedKSArkansas: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedARTennessee: #423 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 4,288 girlsTNNorth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #370 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 2,801 girlsOKLouisiana: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedLAMississippi: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedMSAlabama: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedALGeorgia: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedGAHawaii: #90 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 280 girlsHITexas: #824 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 8,623 girlsTXFlorida: fewer than 5 girls named Kay, so not publishedFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Hawaii#90 · 1 in 280
  2. Idaho#157 · 1 in 616
  3. California#223 · 1 in 1,434
  4. Washington#229 · 1 in 1,564
  5. Illinois#235 · 1 in 2,131

Best ever in a state: #22 in Wyoming, 1938.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Hawaii#9071 in 280
Idaho#15751 in 616
California#223131 in 1,434
Washington#22951 in 1,564
Illinois#235251 in 2,131
Pennsylvania#241311 in 2,814
New York#254351 in 2,616
New Jersey#29461 in 4,518
West Virginia#29871 in 2,114
Minnesota#32761 in 3,308
Iowa#35661 in 3,166
Oklahoma#37061 in 2,801
Ohio#39581 in 5,705
Tennessee#42351 in 4,288
Missouri#42561 in 4,404
Texas#82451 in 8,623
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Indiana
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Mississippi
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Mexico
North Carolina
North Dakota
Oregon
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Wisconsin
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
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
  • 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)
Rise & fade · girls
56 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1885
  • Peaked 1941 at #70 (3,538 births)
  • Births halved by 1963, 22 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 10 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 10 yrs · run 1936–1945
  • Top 1,000: 93 yrs · run 1896–1984
Share of babies · girls
1 in 336
  • 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
Era · girls
The 1940s
  • 33.1% of all girls named Kay (32,654) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s31#921 (1885)#1,022
1890s122#644 (1899)#974
1900s452#401 (1909)#543
1910s2,173#354 (1919)#375
1920s2,665#370 (1920)#416
1930s17,301#76 (1939)#167
1940s32,654#70 (1941)#92
1950s24,645#120 (1951)#149
1960s12,390#192 (1961)#271
1970s2,517#455 (1970)#690
1980s1,409#912 (1981)#1,064
1990s869#1,385 (1990)#1,774
2000s635#2,126 (2002)#2,708
2010s504#2,711 (2018)#3,238
2020s254#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 1915

girls
#386
243 births · 1 in 4,049 girls
boys
#1,159
31 births · 1 in 27,373 boys

Top girls' names in 1915

  1. #1Mary58,187
  2. #2Helen30,866
  3. #3Dorothy25,154
  4. #4Margaret23,054
  5. #5Ruth21,878
  6. #6Mildred15,254
  7. #7Anna15,119
  8. #8Elizabeth14,103
  9. #9Frances12,786
  10. #10Evelyn11,595
  11. #386Kay243

Top boys' names in 1915

  1. #1John47,576
  2. #2William38,563
  3. #3James33,773
  4. #4Robert28,737
  5. #5Joseph23,051
  6. #6George22,307
  7. #7Charles21,960
  8. #8Edward15,889
  9. #9Frank15,006
  10. #10Thomas11,490
  11. #1,159Kay31
More about 1915

girls

983,852 girls got a published name in 1915; 1 in 4,049 of them was named Kay, which outranked 92.2% of the 4,967 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.2% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Kay
  1. #383Pearlie250
  2. #384Isabell249
  3. #385Jimmie248
  4. #386Kay243
  5. #387Isabella242
  6. #387Nona242
  7. #389Elda241
Biggest movers since 1914
Risers
  1. 500Gerda#1,444#944
  2. 451Theda#1,034#583
  3. 441Dominga#1,385#944
  4. 354Vernon#1,344#990
  5. 308Loyce#1,147#839
Fallers
  1. 383Drusilla#956#1,339
  2. 342Rossie#798#1,140
  3. 335Arlie#855#1,190
  4. 329Orene#956#1,285
  5. 329Margot#988#1,317

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

boys

848,575 boys got a published name in 1915; 1 in 27,373 of them was named Kay, which outranked 73.6% of the 4,390 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 30.4% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Kay
  1. #1,141Vicente32
  2. #1,141Willam32
  3. #1,141Woodie32
  4. #1,159Kay31
  5. #1,159Anna31
  6. #1,159Attilio31
  7. #1,159Auther31
  8. #1,181Alpha30
  9. #1,181Angel30
  10. #1,181Annie30

Tied with 21 names at #1,159; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1914
Risers
  1. 691Eston#1,687#996
  2. 565Estill#1,545#980
  3. 545Garth#1,260#715
  4. 474Hiroshi#1,342#868
  5. 439Domingo#1,101#662
Fallers
  1. 674Gilmore#986#1,660
  2. 667Barnett#933#1,600
  3. 526Rose#884#1,410
  4. 517Toivo#855#1,372
  5. 461Sampson#949#1,410

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

See the top 100 for 1915