Fey
Small and delicate with supernatural charm and powers.
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the first name Fey. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Fey today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Fey births was 1999 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Fey. 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
133
~ 1 in 2,577,100 Americans
Peak year
1999
12 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,988
Tracked since 1997
Popularity
Fey: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Fey from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 56 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Fey remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Fey 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 Fey during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Feys live
Origin
Meaning and history of Fey
The name Fey has its origins in Old French, deriving from the Latin word "fata," which means "fairy." This connection to the mythical realm of fairies and otherworldly beings gives the name a sense of enchantment and mystique.
In medieval Europe, the term "fey" was often used to describe someone who was deemed to have supernatural powers or a connection to the fae realm. This association with the fae folk and their magical abilities added a whimsical and ethereal quality to the name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fey can be found in the 13th-century French poem "Le Roman de la Rose," where it is used to refer to a fairy or enchantress. This literary work played a significant role in popularizing the name and cementing its association with the fae realm.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Fey. In the realm of literature, Fey Ingelow (1820-1897) was a prominent English novelist and poet known for her works such as "Maid of Ingolstadt" and "Songs of Seven." Her literary contributions helped to further establish the name's presence in the English-speaking world.
Fey Templeton (1865-1923) was an American vaudeville performer and actress who achieved fame in the early 20th century. Her stage presence and talent as an entertainer contributed to the name's recognition during that era.
In the field of art, Fey Hamkens (1916-1987) was a Dutch painter and sculptor renowned for her abstract and surrealist works. Her artistic legacy helped to perpetuate the name's association with creativity and imaginative expression.
Another notable figure was Fey von Harscher (1899-1976), an Austrian-born actress and dancer who appeared in numerous films and stage productions throughout her career. Her performances on both the silver screen and stage brought the name into the spotlight.
Lastly, Fey Jacobs (1929-2012) was a Swiss author and journalist known for her children's books and her work in promoting literature for young readers. Her contributions to the literary world helped to preserve the name's connection to storytelling and imagination.
While these are just a few examples, the name Fey has been borne by individuals from diverse backgrounds and eras, each adding their unique imprint to the name's rich history and contributing to its enduring presence throughout the ages.
People
Fey + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Fey as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Fey: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Fey?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 133 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Fey 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 2,577,100 US residents.
Is Fey a common name?
We classify Fey as "Very Rare". It ranks above 68.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 135 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Fey most popular?
The single biggest year for Fey was 1999, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Fey is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Fey a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Fey 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.