Hayes Unisex

Popularity: #156 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: HAYZ //heɪz//

Origin: English; Irish

Meaning: English: hedged area; Irish: descendant of Aodh

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Hayes has its roots in Old English, derived from the word "haeg," which means "hedged area" or "enclosure." This term evolved through various forms, including the Middle English "hay" and the Old French "haie," before making its way into the English language. The surname Hayes initially referred to someone who lived near a hedge or an enclosed area, reflecting a connection to the landscape and the agrarian lifestyle of early medieval England.

As a surname, it became established in the 12th century, particularly in regions of England where hedged enclosures were common. Historically, the name Hayes has been associated with several notable figures and events.

One significant milestone is its appearance in the Domesday Book of 1086, where various forms of the name are recorded, indicating its presence in England shortly after the Norman Conquest. Additionally, the name has been borne by various English nobility and landowners throughout the centuries, contributing to its recognition and use as a given name.

The name gained further prominence in the United States during the 19th century, partly due to figures like Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th President of the United States, who served from 1877 to 1881.

Culturally, the name Hayes has resonated with themes of strength and stability, often associated with the natural world and rural life. Its connection to the landscape has made it a symbol of rootedness and heritage.

The name has also been used in various literary and artistic contexts, reinforcing its significance in English-speaking cultures. While diminutive forms such as "Hay" or "Haze" may appear informally, the name Hayes itself has maintained a strong and enduring presence throughout history, reflecting both its linguistic origins and cultural associations.

Famous people named Hayes

In this section, you will find notable people named Hayes. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Hayes who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Hayes who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Hayes Grier is a social media personality best known for his Vine videos, his appearances on Dancing with the Stars, and his YouTube channel.

Hayes Carll is a singer-songwriter best known for his albums Trouble in Mind, KMAG YOYO, and Lovers and Leavers.

Hayes MacArthur is an actor and comedian best known for his roles in Super Troopers 2, The Heat, and the television series Angie Tribeca.

Fictional characters named Hayes

The following list of fictional characters named Hayes is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Hayes is a fictional character from the video game series Metal Gear Solid. He is a key supporting character who provides guidance and support to the protagonist during critical missions.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Hayes, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Hayes. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Hayes was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Hayes has ranked as high as #272 nationally, which occurred in 2024, and has been most popular in Texas, California, North Carolina, Louisiana, and Georgia.

In the past 5 years the name Hayes has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Hayes is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Hayes was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Hayes (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
TX 242
11%
CA 137
6%
OH 98
5%
NC 97
4%
UT 84
4%
GA 81
4%
LA 78
4%
PA 77
4%
TN 76
3%
FL 73
3%
MI 71
3%
MN 66
3%
IL 63
3%
IN 55
3%
MO 52
2%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Hayes.

YearBirths
20242,249
20231,753
20221,774
20211,605
20201,449
20191,165
2018973
2017766
2016717
2015531
2014504
2013418
2012340
2011289
2010215
2009211
2008144
2007146
2006134
2005108
200479
200391
200276
200161
200077
199955
199861
199751
199641
199549
199434
199327
199233
199131
199023
198916
198821
198723
198623
198516
198419
198320
19829
198118
198017
197916
197816
197718
197620
197521
197419
197322
197230
197145
197018
196912
196812
196715
196615
196515
196418
196311
196222
196118
196029
195918
195818
195728
195621
195519
195426
195325
195231
195132
195032
194923
194837
194730
194634
194535
194429
194324
194234
194126
194029
193932
193831
193724
193624
193526
193427
193332
193227
193145
193030
192931
192830
192732
192642
192551
192437
192342
192249
192149
192037
191949
191837
191745
191635
191541
191437
191325
191215
191115
191012
190921
190812
190711
190612
190520
19047
19035
190212
19019
190015
189810
18978
189614
18958
18946
18938
18927
18917
18889
18876
18868
188513
188311
18827
18815
18808