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How Many People Are Named Shay?
Estimated people named Shay living in the U.S. today
12,514
Gender distribution
38% male · 62% female in SSA records.
Name scorecard
- Total U.S. births recorded (1880–2024): 12,989
- Peak year: 2021 (409 births)
- Estimated living today: 12,514
Shay by age group — who carries the name today?
Shay popularity over time (1880–2024)
Estimated living bearers by birth decade
About the name Shay
Shay has been recorded by the Social Security Administration since the 19th century dataset began. In total, 12,989 babies were given the name in the United States between 1880 and 2024. After adjusting each birth cohort for survival to today, an estimated 12,514 bearers are still living — roughly 1 in 27,313 Americans. The name's strongest decade shapes how old most Shays you meet will be, which the age-group breakdown above shows directly. All figures are statistical estimates from public records; see our methodology for sources, the survival model, and the limits of the data (names given to fewer than five babies in a year are not published by the SSA).
Frequently asked questions
How many people are named Shay in the US?
An estimated 12,514 people named Shay are living in the United States today, based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024 adjusted for survival. That makes Shay rare — about 1 in 27,313 Americans.
Is Shay a boy or girl name?
In SSA records, Shay is 38% male and 62% female, so it is predominantly a female name.
When was Shay most popular?
Shay peaked in 2021, when 409 babies were given the name. Its current trend is rising compared with the previous decade.
How rare is the name Shay?
Shay ranks #2,098 of 104,819 first names recorded by the SSA, with a rarity score of 52 out of 100 (higher means rarer).