Jay
Top 1000
About Jay
Though this feels like a modern invention, Jay has been in use for centuries. Early Jays often were named in honor of founding father John Jay, whose surname derived from the jaybird. A popular mid-century choice, Jay was in the Top 100 from 1956 to 1970. In the last couple of decades he was replaced by such more elaborate forms as Jayden, Jaylen, and Jayce. But Jay could make a comeback in tandem with cousins May, Kay, Fay, and Ray.
In literature, the most prominent Jay wasn't a Jay at all—Gatsby's birth name was James Gatz. In real life, the honor goes to Jay Leno, also born James.
In India, Jay is used as a modern variant of the Hindi Jaya, which means "victory."
Pronounced JAY.
As of October 2026, Jay ranked #392 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #78 in 1960, Nameberry popularity #367.
Editor's take: The name Jay is a boy's name of Latin origin meaning "jaybird".
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #371 | 849 | 442 |
| 2015 | #393 | 806 | 420.5 |
| 2016 | #394 | 815 | 429.5 |
| 2017 | #382 | 859 | 464.1 |
| 2018 | #398 | 799 | 439.9 |
| 2019 | #374 | 847 | 472.1 |
| 2020 | #381 | 807 | 467.5 |
| 2021 | #376 | 864 | 493.9 |
| 2022 | #367 | 897 | 513.7 |
| 2023 | #381 | 835 | 488.1 |
| 2024 | #396 | 819 | 475.4 |
| 2025 | #392 | 809 | 473.6 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Jay.
Jay on lists
Famous Jays
- James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno
American talk show host and comedian
- Finley Jay Lanning
son of Youtubers Bryan & Missy Lanning
- Jonathan Adam Saunders "Jay" Baruchel
Canadian actor
- Jay Sean (born Kamaljit Singh Jhooti)
British singer/rapper
- Jay Livingston (born Jacob Harold Levison)
American songwriter
- Jay Asher
American novelist
- Javier Manuel "Jay" Hernandez
American actor
- Jay Christopher Cutler
American NFL player
- Jay Z
stage name of Shawn Corey Carter, American rapper
- Jay Pharaoh
stage name of Jared Antonio Farrow, American actor/comedian
- James S. "Jay" Huguley
American actor
- Jay McGuiness
British singer and dancer
- Jay Chou
Taiwanese singer,songwriter, actor
- Jay Park
Korean,American singer, rapper, entrepreneur
- Jay Nicky Byrne
twin son of Westlife singer Nicky Byrne
- Aaron Jay Hanley
son of Michelle Heaton & Hugh Hanley
- Jay Farrar (b. 1966)
musician and founder of alternative country bands Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo
- John Jay
American revolutionary
- Jay B
aka PhineasBg (b. 1971) American Star Trek fan in the State of Georgia, creator of The Captain Kirk Page website, www.thecaptainkirkpage.com
- Jay Adams
American skateboarder
- Jay Manuel
Canadian TV host, creative director, make-up artist, and author
- Jay Chandrasekhar
American comedian, film director, screenwriter, actor and editor
- Jay Hayden
American actor
- Jay Jongseong Park
South Korean singer, songwriter, and producer from Seattle; member of Kpop boy-band Enhypen
Jay in pop culture
- Jay Gatsby (born James Gatz)
main character in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"
- Jay Pritchett
character on TV's "Modern Family"
- Jason "Jay" Walker aka Blue Ninja
character in animated series "Lego Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu"
- Jay "Chef" Hicks
character in the movie "Apocalypse Now"
- Jay Clemens
character in TV series "Rita Rocks"
- Jay
character in movie "Knocked Up," played by Jay Baruchel
- Jay Kepler
character in TV movie "16 Wishes"
- Jay Smouse
character in Adventures in Odyssey
- Jay Halstead
character in TV's "Chicago P.D."
- Jay
son of Jafar in Disney's Descendants
- Jay Garrick aka The Flash
character on TV's "The Flash"
- Jayfeather "Jay"
character in Erin Hunter's book series "Warriors"
- Jay Merrick
main character in the webseries "Marble Hornets"
- Homer Jay Simpson
main character on animated series "The Simpsons"
- Also
Jayan.
- Jay
character played by Jason Mewes in the "Jay and Silent Bob" Movies
- Jay Riva
character in Taylor Jenkins Reid's "Malibu Rising"
- Jay Cartwright
character in the British comedy series "The Inbetweeners"
- Jay Fortune
Character from the webcomic "Sparklecare Hospital"