Kay Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KAY //keɪ//
Origin: English; Irish
Meaning: English: Rejoice; Irish: Slim
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Kay has its roots in multiple linguistic traditions, primarily deriving from the Latin name "Gaius," which is believed to mean "rejoice." This Latin form evolved into the Old French "Kai" and subsequently made its way into Middle English as "Kay." The name has also been linked to the Welsh name "Cai," which is associated with the Arthurian legend, specifically Sir Kay, who was a knight of King Arthur's Round Table. This connection to Arthurian lore has contributed to the name's historical significance in British culture.
Historically, the name Kay appears in various forms across different cultures and eras. In the 12th century, Sir Kay was depicted in Geoffrey of Monmouth's "Historia Regum Britanniae," a foundational text of British mythology.
The name's association with chivalric tales and legendary figures helped solidify its place in the cultural consciousness of medieval England. Additionally, the name has been borne by saints, such as Saint Caius, a pope in the early Christian church, which further enriched its historical resonance.
Culturally, Kay has been embraced in various traditions, often symbolizing strength and loyalty, traits associated with its legendary namesakes. The name has also been used in literature and art, reinforcing its enduring appeal.
In some contexts, diminutive forms like "Kaye" or "Kaylee" have emerged, although these variations are more modern adaptations. Overall, Kay's journey through linguistic evolution, historical milestones, and cultural associations illustrates its multifaceted significance across time.
Famous people named Kay
In this section, you will find notable people named Kay. 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 Kay who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Kay 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.
Kay Adams is a sports commentator best known for Good Morning Football, NFL Network, and Fantasy Football Live.
Kay Panabaker is an actress best known for Fame, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, and Nancy Drew.
Kay Lenz is an actress best known for Breezy, The Great Santini, and Midnight Caller.
Fictional characters named Kay
The following list of fictional characters named Kay 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.
Kay is a fictional character from the novel and film The Last Unicorn. They are a key figure in the story, representing the human desire for beauty and the passage of time.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Kay, 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 Kay. 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 Kay was first seen in the United States in 1885.
Kay has ranked as high as #144 nationally, which occurred in 1942, and has been most popular in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and California.
In the past 5 years the name Kay has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Kay 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 Kay was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Kay (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 | 5 |
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 Kay.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 38 |
| 2023 | 48 |
| 2022 | 47 |
| 2021 | 42 |
| 2020 | 42 |
| 2019 | 43 |
| 2018 | 63 |
| 2017 | 51 |
| 2016 | 47 |
| 2015 | 43 |
| 2014 | 60 |
| 2013 | 51 |
| 2012 | 52 |
| 2011 | 47 |
| 2010 | 47 |
| 2009 | 41 |
| 2008 | 46 |
| 2007 | 66 |
| 2006 | 63 |
| 2005 | 61 |
| 2004 | 67 |
| 2003 | 66 |
| 2002 | 79 |
| 2001 | 72 |
| 2000 | 74 |
| 1999 | 66 |
| 1998 | 70 |
| 1997 | 74 |
| 1996 | 67 |
| 1995 | 82 |
| 1994 | 88 |
| 1993 | 100 |
| 1992 | 104 |
| 1991 | 104 |
| 1990 | 114 |
| 1989 | 117 |
| 1988 | 141 |
| 1987 | 118 |
| 1986 | 129 |
| 1985 | 139 |
| 1984 | 147 |
| 1983 | 150 |
| 1982 | 151 |
| 1981 | 164 |
| 1980 | 153 |
| 1979 | 156 |
| 1978 | 155 |
| 1977 | 195 |
| 1976 | 191 |
| 1975 | 206 |
| 1974 | 239 |
| 1973 | 272 |
| 1972 | 251 |
| 1971 | 377 |
| 1970 | 476 |
| 1969 | 498 |
| 1968 | 636 |
| 1967 | 711 |
| 1966 | 856 |
| 1965 | 1,021 |
| 1964 | 1,301 |
| 1963 | 1,607 |
| 1962 | 1,878 |
| 1961 | 1,955 |
| 1960 | 1,925 |
| 1959 | 2,004 |
| 1958 | 2,238 |
| 1957 | 2,355 |
| 1956 | 2,394 |
| 1955 | 2,327 |
| 1954 | 2,506 |
| 1953 | 2,462 |
| 1952 | 2,768 |
| 1951 | 2,963 |
| 1950 | 2,628 |
| 1949 | 2,751 |
| 1948 | 2,943 |
| 1947 | 3,520 |
| 1946 | 3,358 |
| 1945 | 3,058 |
| 1944 | 3,170 |
| 1943 | 3,493 |
| 1942 | 3,623 |
| 1941 | 3,538 |
| 1940 | 3,200 |
| 1939 | 3,260 |
| 1938 | 3,114 |
| 1937 | 3,010 |
| 1936 | 2,408 |
| 1935 | 1,648 |
| 1934 | 1,430 |
| 1933 | 864 |
| 1932 | 658 |
| 1931 | 558 |
| 1930 | 351 |
| 1929 | 218 |
| 1928 | 223 |
| 1927 | 267 |
| 1926 | 224 |
| 1925 | 248 |
| 1924 | 302 |
| 1923 | 285 |
| 1922 | 281 |
| 1921 | 304 |
| 1920 | 313 |
| 1919 | 330 |
| 1918 | 311 |
| 1917 | 283 |
| 1916 | 272 |
| 1915 | 243 |
| 1914 | 215 |
| 1913 | 159 |
| 1912 | 143 |
| 1911 | 111 |
| 1910 | 106 |
| 1909 | 83 |
| 1908 | 75 |
| 1907 | 53 |
| 1906 | 42 |
| 1905 | 49 |
| 1904 | 39 |
| 1903 | 37 |
| 1902 | 26 |
| 1901 | 22 |
| 1900 | 26 |
| 1899 | 23 |
| 1898 | 14 |
| 1897 | 15 |
| 1896 | 13 |
| 1895 | 10 |
| 1894 | 14 |
| 1893 | 16 |
| 1892 | 7 |
| 1891 | 5 |
| 1890 | 5 |
| 1889 | 7 |
| 1888 | 6 |
| 1887 | 6 |
| 1886 | 6 |
| 1885 | 6 |