unisex name
Fay
- Origin Dutch
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 1
- Letters 3
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 37,732
Northern Ireland
#462
2006 births
Fay is a unisex name with 1 syllable. It is given to both girls and boys — about 89% of recorded births with this name are girls. In 2025 it was given to 39 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
- Fay is a name of Dutch origin.
- Peaked in 1915, when 842 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 85,012 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Fay over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 584 |
| 1890s | 1,420 |
| 1900s | 2,327 |
| 1910s | 6,472 |
| 1920s | 7,425 |
| 1930s | 6,435 |
| 1940s | 4,579 |
| 1950s | 3,301 |
| 1960s | 1,827 |
| 1970s | 548 |
| 1980s | 316 |
| 1990s | 170 |
| 2000s | 229 |
| 2010s | 311 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 233 |
How popular is Fay?
In 2025, Fay was given to 39 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Fay is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Fay
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Fay also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Fay over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Sibling names for Fay
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Fay — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Fay
How popular is the name Fay?
In 2025, Fay was given to 39 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Fay a girl's or a boy's name?
Fay is used for both girls and boys. About 89% of recorded births with this name are girls.
How many syllables are in Fay?
Fay has 1 syllable.
When was Fay most popular?
Fay peaked in 1915, when 842 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Fay a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Fay currently ranks #3,243 in the United States. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.