Chantay
A French feminine name referring to songfulness, stemming from the word "chanter".
Name Census estimates that about 987 living Americans carry the first name Chantay. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Chantay today is around 50 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Chantay births was 1961 (80 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Chantay. 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.
People living today
987
~ 1 in 347,269 Americans
Peak year
1961
80 babies that year
Average age
50
years old
2000 SSA rank
#12,042
Tracked since 1960
Popularity
Chantay: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Chantay from the 1960s through to the 2000s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 403 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Chantay 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 Chantay during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Chantays live
The SSA's state-level files cover 13 states and territories. New York, California, Illinois recorded the most babies named Chantay, while Ohio, Missouri, Michigan recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 14 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Chantay
The name Chantay has its origins in French, derived from the word "chanter," which means "to sing." The name is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages in France, sometime around the 12th to 15th centuries.
In its earliest form, the name was often spelled as "Chantaye" or "Chantaie." It was initially used as a surname for individuals who were singers, minstrels, or bards. Over time, it transitioned into a given name, primarily for females.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Chantay can be found in the 13th-century French epic poem "Le Roman de la Rose." In this work, a character named Chantay is mentioned, though it is unclear whether this was a fictional name or a reference to a real person.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Chantay. One of the earliest was Chantay de Nevers (c. 1270-1335), a French noblewoman and trouvère (a composer and poet of courtly love songs) from the Duchy of Burgundy.
Another prominent figure was Chantay de Valois (1387-1439), a French princess who was a member of the House of Valois and the daughter of King Charles VI of France. She played a significant role in the Hundred Years' War against England.
In the realm of literature, Chantay de Navarre (1492-1549) was a French Renaissance writer and poet. She is best known for her collection of short stories, "Heptameron," which was inspired by the works of Giovanni Boccaccio.
Moving forward in history, Chantay Delacroix (1699-1765) was a French artist and painter who specialized in portraiture and historical scenes. Her works were highly sought after by the nobility and aristocracy of her time.
In the 20th century, Chantay Bouvier (1929-1994) was a renowned French fashion designer and entrepreneur. She founded the iconic fashion house "Chantay Bouvier" and was known for her elegant and sophisticated designs.
While the name Chantay has its roots in French culture, it has gained popularity in various parts of the world, particularly in the English-speaking countries. However, its historical significance remains tied to its French origins and the individuals who have carried this name throughout the centuries.
People
Chantay + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Chantay 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
Chantay: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Chantay?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 987 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Chantay 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 347,269 US residents.
Is Chantay a common name?
We classify Chantay as "Very Rare". It ranks above 90% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,108 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Chantay most popular?
The single biggest year for Chantay was 1961, when 80 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Chantay is about 50 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Chantay a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Chantay 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.