Unisex name · since 1972
Chay
375 babies named Chay in U.S. Social Security records since 1972, with the highest year being 1992. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #9,373 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 375
- born since 1972
- 1990s
- peak decade
375 boys have been named Chay since 1972, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Chay has been recorded 375 times among boys since 1972, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1972 to 2016.
- #9,373 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- 375 born since 1972
- 1990s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Chay ranks #9,373 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 375 born since 1972, peaking in the 1990s.
- #9,373 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- 375
- born since 1972
- 1990s
- peak decade
Chay's 375 recorded births place it above 79.36% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by California.
Chay's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Chay's SSA record in two at 1991 and the more recent half accounts for 53% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 47%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1975, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1992 peak of 17, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Chay popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1972–2016
- Peak year (1992)
- 17
- Annual births at peak, across 45 years of records
Chay popularity over time - girls
54 total births recorded since 1972 (Chay as girls' name)
Chay by decade
1990s is the heaviest window (108 births, 29% of the file).
1990s was Chay's strongest decade.
108 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Chay births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s
1970s
68 births
- 1980s
1980s
97 births
- 1990s
1990s
108 births
- 2000s
2000s
82 births
- 2010s 20
2010s
20 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 108 births (29% of all-time use).
Chay by state
Where Chay concentrates geographically, total births since 1972
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 5 | 1.3% |
5 of 375 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Chay's data
- Chay's decade-level peak was the 1990s (108 total births); usage has since declined to 20 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Chays (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Chay
Nearby Names Like Chay
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Chay
Compare Chay side by side: Chay vs Charles Chay vs Chad Chay vs Charlie
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Chay: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1992)
Similar record span (~44 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1972–2016 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Chay 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 August 2026.