Montay
A masculine name of English origin, meaning "Monday's child".
Name Census estimates that about 287 living Americans carry the first name Montay. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Montay today is around 26 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Montay births was 1999 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Montay. 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
287
~ 1 in 1,194,266 Americans
Peak year
1999
15 babies that year
Average age
26
years old
2021 SSA rank
#13,440
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Montay: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Montay from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 95 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Montay 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 Montay 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 Montay
The given name Montay is believed to have originated from the French language, specifically from the region of Montaigne in southern France. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "montaigne," which means "mountain." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals who lived in or near mountainous areas.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Montay can be traced back to the 14th century. In 1389, a French monk named Montay de Vienne was known for his religious writings and philosophical works. His contributions to the intellectual discourse of the time made him a notable figure in medieval France.
Another historical figure bearing the name Montay was Montay de Montfort, a French knight who participated in the Crusades during the 13th century. He was known for his bravery and military prowess, and his name was documented in several chronicles and accounts of the time.
In the 16th century, a French artist named Montay Poussin gained recognition for his intricate paintings and frescoes adorning various churches and castles in France. His artistic talents and unique style earned him commissions from prominent patrons of the arts.
Moving forward to the 18th century, Montay Diderot was a French philosopher and writer who contributed significantly to the Enlightenment movement. His works, such as the famous "Encyclopédie," aimed to disseminate knowledge and promote rational thinking, making him an influential figure of his time.
Lastly, in the late 19th century, Montay Curie, a French physicist and chemist, made groundbreaking discoveries in the field of radioactivity. Along with her husband, Pierre Curie, she conducted pioneering research that led to the isolation of radium and polonium, earning her the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911.
While the name Montay may have originated from a specific region in France, it has transcended its geographical roots and gained recognition throughout history, associated with individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, including religion, military, arts, philosophy, and science.
People
Montay + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Montay as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Montay: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Montay?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 287 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Montay 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 1,194,266 US residents.
Is Montay a common name?
We classify Montay as "Very Rare". It ranks above 78.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 294 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Montay most popular?
The single biggest year for Montay was 1999, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Montay is about 26 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Montay a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Montay in the SSA data are male. 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.