Hayes first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Hayes has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Hayes

A masculine name of Old English origin meaning "hedged area".

Popularity of Hayes by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Hayes is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 95% of people named Hayes being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 1,746 male babies and 79 female babies born with the name Hayes.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 79 baby girls were named Hayes in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 1,746 79
2022 1,770 87
2021 1,603 84
2020 1,449 98
2019 1,164 69
2018 973 71
2017 764 67
2016 717 25
2015 530 26
2014 504 24
2013 418 19
2012 340 23
2011 289 16
2010 215 15
2009 211 10
2008 144 15
2007 146 9
2006 134 10
2005 108 6
2004 79 10
2003 91 9
2002 76 0
2001 61 6
2000 77 7
1999 55 0
1998 61 0
1997 51 6
1996 41 0
1995 49 0
1994 34 6
1993 27 6
1992 33 0
1991 31 0
1990 23 0
1989 16 0
1988 21 0
1987 23 0
1986 23 0
1985 16 0
1984 19 0
1983 20 0
1982 9 0
1981 18 0
1980 17 0
1979 16 0
1978 16 0
1977 18 0
1976 20 0
1975 21 0
1974 19 0

The history of the first name Hayes

The name Hayes is an English given name derived from the Old English word "hæs," meaning "hay" or "grass." It likely originated as a surname for someone who lived near a hayfield or worked with hay. The name first appeared in historical records during the Middle Ages in England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hayes dates back to the 13th century when a man named William Hayes was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, England, in 1273. This document was a survey of landowners and their tenants, indicating that the name was already in use at that time.

In the 14th century, a notable figure named Sir John Hayes was a soldier and member of the English Parliament. He served as a knight during the Hundred Years' War and was involved in the capture of the French town of Fronsac in 1370.

During the Renaissance period, the name Hayes gained more prominence. In the 16th century, a composer and musician named William Hayes (c. 1525-1595) was known for his contributions to English church music and madrigals.

One of the most famous individuals with the name Hayes was Rutherford B. Hayes (1822-1893), the 19th President of the United States. He served as President from 1877 to 1881 and is remembered for his efforts to reconcile the North and South after the American Civil War.

Another notable figure was Sir Edmund Dummer Hayes (1803-1869), a British naval officer and explorer who played a significant role in the exploration of the Arctic regions in the mid-19th century. He participated in several expeditions to search for the missing British explorer Sir John Franklin.

In literature, the name Hayes is associated with the American novelist and short story writer Alice Hayes (1857-1939), known for her works depicting life in the American South during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

While the name Hayes has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world and has been adopted by various cultures and communities over the centuries.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Hayes was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Hayes, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Hayes first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/hayes-meaning-and-history/.

"Hayes first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/hayes-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Hayes first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/hayes-meaning-and-history/.

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