Hayes Unisex
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 | |
| CA | 137 | |
| OH | 98 | |
| NC | 97 | |
| UT | 84 | |
| GA | 81 | |
| LA | 78 | |
| PA | 77 | |
| TN | 76 | |
| FL | 73 | |
| MI | 71 | |
| MN | 66 | |
| IL | 63 | |
| IN | 55 | |
| MO | 52 |
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.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 2,249 |
| 2023 | 1,753 |
| 2022 | 1,774 |
| 2021 | 1,605 |
| 2020 | 1,449 |
| 2019 | 1,165 |
| 2018 | 973 |
| 2017 | 766 |
| 2016 | 717 |
| 2015 | 531 |
| 2014 | 504 |
| 2013 | 418 |
| 2012 | 340 |
| 2011 | 289 |
| 2010 | 215 |
| 2009 | 211 |
| 2008 | 144 |
| 2007 | 146 |
| 2006 | 134 |
| 2005 | 108 |
| 2004 | 79 |
| 2003 | 91 |
| 2002 | 76 |
| 2001 | 61 |
| 2000 | 77 |
| 1999 | 55 |
| 1998 | 61 |
| 1997 | 51 |
| 1996 | 41 |
| 1995 | 49 |
| 1994 | 34 |
| 1993 | 27 |
| 1992 | 33 |
| 1991 | 31 |
| 1990 | 23 |
| 1989 | 16 |
| 1988 | 21 |
| 1987 | 23 |
| 1986 | 23 |
| 1985 | 16 |
| 1984 | 19 |
| 1983 | 20 |
| 1982 | 9 |
| 1981 | 18 |
| 1980 | 17 |
| 1979 | 16 |
| 1978 | 16 |
| 1977 | 18 |
| 1976 | 20 |
| 1975 | 21 |
| 1974 | 19 |
| 1973 | 22 |
| 1972 | 30 |
| 1971 | 45 |
| 1970 | 18 |
| 1969 | 12 |
| 1968 | 12 |
| 1967 | 15 |
| 1966 | 15 |
| 1965 | 15 |
| 1964 | 18 |
| 1963 | 11 |
| 1962 | 22 |
| 1961 | 18 |
| 1960 | 29 |
| 1959 | 18 |
| 1958 | 18 |
| 1957 | 28 |
| 1956 | 21 |
| 1955 | 19 |
| 1954 | 26 |
| 1953 | 25 |
| 1952 | 31 |
| 1951 | 32 |
| 1950 | 32 |
| 1949 | 23 |
| 1948 | 37 |
| 1947 | 30 |
| 1946 | 34 |
| 1945 | 35 |
| 1944 | 29 |
| 1943 | 24 |
| 1942 | 34 |
| 1941 | 26 |
| 1940 | 29 |
| 1939 | 32 |
| 1938 | 31 |
| 1937 | 24 |
| 1936 | 24 |
| 1935 | 26 |
| 1934 | 27 |
| 1933 | 32 |
| 1932 | 27 |
| 1931 | 45 |
| 1930 | 30 |
| 1929 | 31 |
| 1928 | 30 |
| 1927 | 32 |
| 1926 | 42 |
| 1925 | 51 |
| 1924 | 37 |
| 1923 | 42 |
| 1922 | 49 |
| 1921 | 49 |
| 1920 | 37 |
| 1919 | 49 |
| 1918 | 37 |
| 1917 | 45 |
| 1916 | 35 |
| 1915 | 41 |
| 1914 | 37 |
| 1913 | 25 |
| 1912 | 15 |
| 1911 | 15 |
| 1910 | 12 |
| 1909 | 21 |
| 1908 | 12 |
| 1907 | 11 |
| 1906 | 12 |
| 1905 | 20 |
| 1904 | 7 |
| 1903 | 5 |
| 1902 | 12 |
| 1901 | 9 |
| 1900 | 15 |
| 1898 | 10 |
| 1897 | 8 |
| 1896 | 14 |
| 1895 | 8 |
| 1894 | 6 |
| 1893 | 8 |
| 1892 | 7 |
| 1891 | 7 |
| 1888 | 9 |
| 1887 | 6 |
| 1886 | 8 |
| 1885 | 13 |
| 1883 | 11 |
| 1882 | 7 |
| 1881 | 5 |
| 1880 | 8 |