Total births
241
Girls' name · since 1939
Cay
Since 1939, U.S. Social Security records show 241 babies named Cay, peaking in 1955. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 241
- total births
- 1939–1966
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 59%
- born in that decade
Cay sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 241 recorded since 1939.
Cay has 241 recorded births among girls since 1939, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1950s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1939 to 1966.
- 241 total births
- 1939–1966 years on record
- 1950s peak decade
- 59% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
241 girls have been named Cay since 1939, peaking in the 1950s, last recorded in 1966.
- 241
- total births
- 1939–1966
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 59%
- born in that decade
1950s
Peak decade
59% of everyone ever named Cay was born in this single decade.
1955
Single peak year
38 babies were named Cay in 1955 - its busiest year on record.
Cay's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Cay splits its recorded history at 1956: 49% of all births land in the more recent half, 51% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1966 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1955 peak of 38 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Cay at a glance
Last recorded 1966Peak year
1955
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1939
Cay popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1939–1966
- Peak year (1955)
- 38
- Annual births at peak, across 28 years of records
Cay popularity over time - boys
11 total births recorded since 1919 (Cay as boys' name)
Cay by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Cay's strongest decade.
143 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 59% of all-time use.
Cay births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s 7
1930s
7 births
- 1940s 34
1940s
34 births
- 1950s
1950s
143 births
- 1960s 57
1960s
57 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 143 births (59% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Cay? ▼
Cay has been given to 241 babies in the U.S. since 1939, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1966. 38 babies were born in 1955, its single highest year.
When was Cay most popular? ▼
Cay was most popular in the 1950s decade with 143 total births. The single peak year was 1955.
How long has the name Cay been used? ▼
Cay has been recorded in Social Security data since 1939, spanning 28 years of data through 1966.
What names are similar to Cay? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Cayla, Caylee, Caydence, Caylin, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Cay's data
- Cay's usage has stayed within range of its 1950s decade-level peak (143 total births) through the 1960s (57) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Cay
Nearby Names Like Cay
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Cay
Cayla Girl
#3841 10,853 births
Caylee Girl
#1917 9,769 births
Caydence Girl
#4276 3,588 births
Caylin Girl
#7030 2,471 births
Cayleigh Girl
#4719 2,297 births
Compare Cay side by side: Cay vs Cayla Cay vs Caylee Cay vs Caydence
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1939–1966 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Cay: Baby Name Since 1939 - 241 Births, Peak 1955." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/cay. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Cay draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.