Cay
A feminine name of English origin meaning "little island".
Name Census estimates that about 165 living Americans carry the first name Cay. It is a predominantly female name (95.6% of registrations). The average person named Cay today is around 70 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Cay births was 1955 (38 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Cay. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Cay is about 70 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Cays were born before 1966.
People living today
165
~ 1 in 2,077,299 Americans
Peak year
1955
38 babies that year
Average age
70
years old
1927 SSA rank
#4,293
Tracked since 1919
Gender
Gender distribution for Cay
Cay leans heavily female at 95.6% of total registrations, but 11 boys have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Cay as a male name
- Ranked #4,293 in 1927
- 5 male births in 1927
- Peak: 1919 (6 births)
Cay as a female name
- Ranked #6,697 in 1966
- 5 female births in 1966
- Peak: 1955 (38 births)
Popularity
Cay: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Cay from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 143 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1950s peak, Cay remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Cay by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Cay during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Cay
The name Cay has its origins in the Old French language and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the French word "caye," which means a small, low-lying island or a sandbank. The name may have been initially given to individuals who lived or were born on such islands or coastal areas.
In ancient times, the name Cay was often associated with seafarers, fishermen, and those who lived near the sea. It was a popular name among coastal communities in France and other parts of Europe where French influence was strong.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Cay can be found in the 13th-century French epic poem "La Chanson de Roland," which mentions a character named Cay. This literary reference suggests that the name was in use during the Middle Ages.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Cay. One of the most famous was Cay Förster (1784-1836), a German-born botanist and naturalist who contributed significantly to the study of plant life in South America. Another prominent figure was Cay van Bruggen (1916-1991), a Dutch writer and artist known for her novels and paintings.
In the realm of sports, Cay Rivière (1914-1972) was a French cyclist who won several prestigious races, including the Tour de France in 1936. Cay Sal Bank, a large underwater atoll in the Bahamas, is named after a 17th-century Spanish pirate named Cay Sal, whose real name is unknown.
Cay Troensegaard Ancher (1888-1971) was a Danish painter and a member of the Skagen Painters, a group of artists who worked in the northern Danish town of Skagen during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
While the name Cay may not be as common as it once was, it has a rich history and cultural significance, particularly in coastal regions and among those with ties to the sea. Its origins and the stories of those who have borne this name throughout history serve as a reminder of the enduring connections between people and the natural world.
People
Cay + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Cay as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Cay: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Cay?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 165 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Cay going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,077,299 US residents.
Is Cay a common name?
We classify Cay as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 252 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Cay most popular?
The single biggest year for Cay was 1955, when 38 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Cay is about 70 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Cay a female name?
Yes, 95.6% of people registered as Cay in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.